Lateral Move
by Ghosthands
Summary: Agent DiNozzo is having a rough time with Gibbs's return. Will he stay or will he move on? Little out of Character i'm sure. Tiva maybe.
1. Chapter 1

**Okay. Don't know if this has been done before but it popped into my head the other day and I had to write it down. Plus I know that Gibbs is the driving force behind the show and all but why is it always Gibbs that has to save the day? I don't think they give Tony enough credit and this year especially they have made him worse than he was in the first few years of the show. This might be pretty out of character. Hope you all like it. Tell me if you want more.**

**A/N: Don't own NCIS characters or any part of the show.**

Tony stood apart from the rest of the group as they welcomed Gibbs back. He was happy that he was back but he was wondering where he fit in now. He had gone from smart-ass senior field agent to team lead in Gibbs' absence. Was he now supposed to go back to being what he was before? Enduring the head-slaps and stares of his boss. Growled words and phrases. Being kept in the dark about what Gibbs was thinking only to find out later through Gibbs actions.

The team wanted him back that was no secret. He had thought he had been a good boss. True he was still the same smart-ass and prankster but he had toned it down. He had a new respect for McGee, he would still always be his probie but through all the terrible things he had done to him over the years he had matured into a fine senior agent.

He had always respected Ziva and truth be told he loved spending time with her in and out of the job. When the team was suddenly thrust into his care she had helped him a lot. Gibbs was gone and so was his rule 12. He was developing more than just a passing fancy for this woman and now that Gibbs was back, so were his rules. But it still hurt him that during the FBI fiasco that she had went to Gibbs instead of him. He knew she was just trying to protect him and the team but it still hurt. He had tried to get in touch with Gibbs but only for some advice, not for him to come running back to be her knight in shining armor.

And then there was Abby. She had pined for Gibbs since he left. Tony understood her pain but since he became team lead he still gave a small wince when he would enter the lab to find Gibbs face on all of the screens. They were silently mocking him that they would rather have Gibbs than him any day of the week.

It all boiled down to this. Whether Gibbs was here or gone, he was still their leader. While he was gone he was like a ghost that hung over every action. He often found himself asking what would Gibbs do. Finally he had shaken that. He wasn't Gibbs and he didn't want to be. He had started to mature and be himself but he could still feel that his team was not his team, it was Gibbs'. He could see the relieved faces of his friends when they were told he was coming back. What did that say about him? They had followed him because they had to.

He was broken from his inner turmoil as his phone rang. He picked it up while still watching the fanfare in front of him. "DiNozzo." He quietly spoke into the receiver. He didn't want to intrude upon Gibbs' team reunion. Funny. A few hours ago it was his team. He listened to Cynthia tell him that the director wanted to see him. He told her he would be right up. A frown crossed his face. What did she want now? He rose from his chair unnoticed by the others and headed up to see the director.

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Tony knocked on the door to be answered by Jenny's voice telling him to come in. He entered and closed the door behind him. He moved in front of her desk as she eyed him over the rim of her glasses. She could tell that Gibb's return had the man thinking many things but she could not tell what. He was a good agent and a good team leader she knew. While he took over for Gibbs the success rate of the team had remained the same. He always read the memo's that were sent to him and kept his team aware of any changes to procedure or conduct. He deserved his own team and Gibbs return had spoiled that for him.

She regarded him for a few moments until he cleared his throat. She smiled at him and asked, "How is everyone taking Gibbs's return?" A momentary flicker of anger and jealousy clouded his face before being masked by a smile. "Oh, they're all thrilled." He returned. A frown crossed her face as she asked, "And you?" His frown matched hers as he said, "Dealing. Don't know where I am supposed to fit it. Don't wanna go back to being the old me." He was stunned at his confession, as was she. He had never opened up right away to anyone like this, not even Ziva. She usually had to ply him with alcohol and pizza and movies to get an honest answer like he had just given.

She let a moment pass as she weighed her next words carefully; "You were a good leader, Tony." He smiled at her but shook his head and said, "Just wasn't what the team needed." She narrowed her eyes at him and asked, "And what exactly did the team need?" His face contorted into a sorrowful sad expression and said, "Gibbs. They needed Gibbs. He's their white knight. He's the one they go to when they're in trouble. He's the one they need. I am glad they got him back."

Her frown deepened and she said, "And what were you when he was gone?" He thought about that for a moment before replying, "A cheap imitation. I did the best I could. But I could still hear them talking about what would Gibbs do when I wasn't around. I know that sounds petty and jealous and maybe it is. But I know they deserve more than me and I am glad they got it."

"I never doubted you Tony." She said to him. "I know it's hard with Gibbs back as team lead. You're a good leader Tony, and a good agent." She regarded him for a moment wondering if her words had any effect on him. She continued on and said, "Which is why I am going to offer you your own team. Rota, Spain."

His eyes dimly lit up at the offer. "Well what do you think?" She asked. His mind ran a mile a minute thinking of the possibilities. His own team. In Spain no less. Beaches and beautiful women. But he thought about all he would have to leave behind. His partner in Ziva. McGee, Abby, Ducky, and Palmer. They were all unconventional and all his friends. Ducky had been the most influential with Tony. Reminding him that no matter what happened Tony would never be Gibbs because Gibbs left and Tony didn't. Could he pull a Gibbs and run off to another country and leave his team behind. But they had Gibbs now they didn't need him.

"Can I have some time to think about it Jen?" He asked timidly. She knew that this was a difficult decision for him. Tony had no real family and the team had become a surrogate of sorts. Asking him to leave them behind would be hard for him. She nodded at him and said, "48 hours Tony. Need to know by then." He smiled his biggest smile at her and said, "Thanks." He turned and began walking towards the door. He opened it halfway and turned back to her. He said, "Oh and Jen?" She lifted her head from the paperwork she had been looking at before he entered and said, "Yes?" He smiled widely at her again and said, "Love the pantsuit." With that he left closing the door behind him. She chuckled and smiled turning back to her paperwork. "Only if I were younger." She said to herself.

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He went back to the bullpen smiling. He knew that he had a decision to make but he also knew that this time he had a choice. Nothing was being thrust on him this time. He felt a small bit of the weight on his shoulders subside. When he entered back into the bullpen he saw that McGee and Abby were busy switching desks around. He smiled at them but was slightly hurt.

"That didn't take long." He said flippantly. Abby gave him a stern look and said, "Listen here Tony, Gibbs is back and we're making him feel at home." She pointed her finger at him and said, "You could help." He smiled at her and kissed her cheek and said, "Nah, you guy's look like your doing a fine job." She brushed her cheek from his kiss and said, "Toonnyy! Only Gibbs kisses me on the cheek." She crossed her arms and glared at him. His brow furrowed and he said, "Abby, I just kissed you on the cheek yesterday and you didn't mind." She through herself back to the task at hand and said offhandedly, "Gibbs wasn't back yesterday." Another slight pain lanced at him and he winced at her words.

He looked around the bullpen and noticed that Ziva and Gibbs were missing. "Where's Ziva and Gibbs?" He asked. McGee looked up from his old desk and said, "Dunno." He quickly returned to putting Agent Lee's contents in the cardboard box. Tony pulled out his cell phone and sent a quick text to Ziva asking her were she was. A few minutes later he received a reply saying that she and Gibbs had to talk about a few things and she would see him later. Tony sighed heavily. She used to talk to me about things. He walked to his desk and shut down his computer. He grabbed his coat, backpack, SIG, and badge. He began walking towards the door and turned around to look at McGee and Abby. "See you guys tomorrow." Abby and McGee waved but didn't say anything. They were too absorbed in their work. Tony pushed the button for the elevator and nothing happened. He pressed it again with the same result. Gibbs's private office was in use by him and Ziva. He shook his head and began to walk down the stairs. When he reached the ground floor he slowly walked to his car. He threw his bag into the backseat then slammed the door. Frustration began to build within him again. He opened up the driver's door and sank into the familiar seat. He started the car and began to drive home in the light traffic. The better mood he had when he left the directors office was now faded and gone.

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Tony walked into the bullpen the next morning to find Ziva and McGee looking terrible. Ziva had her head in her hands rubbing her temples and McGee's head was lying on his desk. They looked like death warmed over. He could spot hangovers immediately and knew that they had tied one on last night.

He smiled at them and asked, "Guy's have a good time last night?" He chuckled as McGee moaned. Ziva however was a little better and explained that they had all gone out to celebrate. Tony stiffened as the said those words. He was hurt yet again. Not only by the fact the girl he had started to fall for said that they ALL went out, but that no one had even invited him along.

The brief mention of the celebration roused McGee and him and Ziva were talking about their night out with Gibbs, Abby, Lee, and Palmer. Tony took slight refuge in the fact that Ducky wasn't there. When they were done discussing who had done what and where Ziva looked at Tony and asked, "Why weren't you there?" She saw the pain fill his eyes for a moment before they were covered up with a blank expression. He replied, "Guess in all the excitement, you all forgot to invite me." Saying the words had increased the hurt. She shook her head apologetically at him and said, "While me and Gibbs were talking I assumed that Abby or McGee would tell you. I am sorry." He nodded at her and smiled and said, "Not a problem." She knew he was lying but she didn't know what to do to make him forgive them.

Anything she was going to say was immediately cut off by Gibbs who entered the bullpen and stated, "Marine killed at Quantico." Tony and Gibbs at the same time began rattling off orders for McGee to gas the truck and gear up." Gibbs quickly pointed to McGee and Ziva and told them to get down to the truck. When it was just the two of them left in the bullpen Gibbs stepped close to Tony and asked, "Do you want to be the boss here DiNozzo?" Tony bit back his sharp reply and said, "It's your team Gibbs." Gibbs nodded and took a step back and said, "Glad we agree on something DiNozzo. Come on." With that they left for the scene.


	2. Chapter 2

**This is where the story takes a little bit of a departure. I just started writing this chapter and this popped out. I have no idea where I am going with this but I hope it's a good ride. Thank you for the reviews thus far and I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint you. It's a quarter past eleven here and I am just starting on the third chapter now. A start and two chapters in one night? Maybe I can do it.**

**A/N: Don't own any NCIS characters or anything pertaining to the show. (Although I am looking forward to buying the season 5 DVD)**

The two days passed quickly for Tony. The case was a simple open and shut. The first day they had taken evidence back to Abby, Ducky the body. When the results came back with some DNA this morning the team quickly fetched a young petty officer that had broken in interrogation and confessed to the crime.

All that was left was the dreaded paperwork. They had all started around noon and McGee and Ziva had finished around four. Gibbs was apparently lenient and let them leave early. Tony on the other hand had to finish his report for this case, that plus the last case he worked as team lead. He worked late into the night all too aware of the deadline that was fast approaching.

By the time he finished his reports he had an hour to kill before it was time to give his final answer to Director Shepard. He took his time and leaned back in his chair and put his feet up on his desk. He laced his fingers behind his head and let his mind drift over the events of the last three days.

Since Gibbs had taken over the team again things were vastly different for Tony.

The walls surrounding Ziva that Tony had slowly and painstakingly taken down over the last four months shot right back up. For two days he could do nothing to penetrate their iron skin. He knew that Ziva and Gibbs had a deep connection due to the Ari Haswari situation but why put her wall up against him? Did she think she was betraying Gibbs by opening up to another? He had broken down her resistance and they spent every Wednesday together for the past few months, whether it be a movie night, piano lessons, or just a quiet dinner and talking. Nothing had taken precedence over these nights. Rough cases or not, Wednesday's they would share. But not last night. He waited for her to come over but she never did. When he asked her about it she simply stated she forgot. That had hurt him to no end.

McGee seemed to have lost his funness. Since the loss of Lee he was now the probie again and he seemed to take it out on Tony. Tony and him had always had a sarcastic relationship but that had improved and become more akin to friends than colleagues. Tony had helped McGee "break in" Lee with some practical jokes. He gave McGee good conversation pieces to get her goat. He had even taken McGee to the gym and shooting range to increase his marksmanship and self-defense. All that seemed to strip away and all that remained was serious probie who was annoyed by Tony.

Abby was probably the worse of them all. Since Gibbs had returned she had only spoken to him three times when they were dropping off evidence. That was unusual for her. She usually called him three or four times a day just to talk. She was devastated when Gibbs left and Tony had picked up the pieces. She would cry for hours and hours at home and Tony would just hold her. When she was moping around he would take her out on the town for dancing and dinner or just take her to his house so she wasn't alone. He even sacrificed his body in a mosh pit just to make her smile. It had taken a while but her pain and anguish at being abandoned had subsided and the happy goth came back into their lives again. Now seeing her so happy with Gibbs back and her not talking to him like they used to was a new hurt. Was he really that easy to cast aside?

He had done well masking his pain from the others. He didn't want to hear them tell him he was just being jealous of his hero. He took longer to think on that thought. His hero.

Gibbs definitely used to be his hero. He could do no wrong in Tony's eyes. What changed that fact?

Immediately Tony knew what changed that fact. He had left. Abandoned them with no reason as to why. He left Tony to pick up whatever pieces he left behind in his wake and Tony did it willingly because the team needed him to.

In that moment Tony knew that his hero was gone forever. Forced from his mind. In truth Gibbs had forced him to grow up in a rather unconventional way. Through Tony's new eyes he saw that he didn't need a hero anymore. He saw Gibbs as he was, not some aggrandized version of himself. He saw a man who was fallible and filled with hypocrisy and judgment.

He knew there was an easy way out of this situation. Take the job in Spain. But Tony had done that his whole life. Run away from a problem whether it be a girl or some other situation. He had to face this one head on but he knew he couldn't work for Gibbs anymore. Gibbs had asked too much from him by his leaving and when Tony delivered ten fold he came back and pulled it all away again. All the work and strides his team had made together for months simply wiped clean away like an etch-a-sketch.

Tony thought he would all be missing by leaving though. Seeing Ziva everyday. Watching McGee get a date and prying details from him about it later. Abby's hugs. Ducky's conversations.

He couldn't leave them all. He just couldn't. That is precisely what Gibbs did. He left them all and broke them.

He couldn't work for Gibbs though either. The past two days Gibbs had treated him like he had before he left. Stares that were designed to get another to do what they were told. Head-slaps. The barking of orders and secret gut feelings. The first head-slap Tony had received he put it up to just getting the feel back of being second in command. By the fourth he was ready to punch the silver haired man. He had expressed these feelings to McGee that he thought they were unprovoked but McGee just said he was overreacting.

No he definitely couldn't work for the man who still thought of him, as someone who still needed reminders that wasn't as good as he should be.

He made up his mind.

* * *

A knocking on her door roused the director from the papers she was reading. "Come in Tony." She said loudly enough to be heard on the other side of the door. The door slowly opened and Tony stepped into the office sheepishly. "How did you know it was me?" He asked. She smiled at this and said, "Because it's passed your deadline and Gibbs doesn't knock." He nodded as he leaned against a shelf by the door.

She gave him a good once over and noticed the apprehension in his steps and body language. "You made your decision?" She asked him in an even tone of voice. He nodded at her and replied, "I want a transfer, but not to Rota." She frowned at his answer. She figured he would either take the job in Rota or stay on Gibbs's team. She didn't expect this. "Can I ask why?" She asked.

Tony sighed heavily and moved to sit in one of the chairs in front of her desk. He plopped down on it feeling the weariness of his mind's constant struggle to find and answer to his current dilemma. In an angry voice he said, "I can't be away from them Jen. They are too important to me. And I won't abandon them like Gibbs did either. But I can't and won't work for him anymore. He doesn't respect me or what the team had to go through when he left."

She had seen firsthand the toll that Gibbs' leaving had inflicted upon the team. She also knew about Tony's efforts to keep the team going. He was the reason they had carried on. He had been the foundation on which they all sat and they hadn't even seen it. She had seen them all shrink away from Tony for Gibbs over the last two days. She remembered seeing how excited Abby was when Tony was coming back from his conference in Germany and couldn't believe her attitude towards him now. And Tony still wanted to be there for them even though they were treating him this way. Maybe he thinks things will settle down after a few weeks and they can get back to normal. But she completely understood him getting away from Gibbs.

"I don't have any team leader positions open here in DC Tony." She said apologetically. He nodded and asked, "What about single agent positions?" She frowned at his question. Single agent positions meant cold cases. "Tony you are too good for cold cases." She said. He gave her a little smile and said, "If I am so good maybe some cold cases won't be cold much longer." She chuckled at him using her words against her.

She turned to her computer screen and typed in a few words. A few moments later a new screen popped up which she perused before taking off her glasses and looking back at Tony. She said, "I got one single agent position available." He smiled at her and nodded saying, "I'll take it." She looked deep in thought for a moment and said, "No. No you wont." He frowned at her and furrowed his eyebrows and asked, "Why not?"

She turned to a drawer behind her and pressed a few buttons on the digital lock. She opened the drawer and pulled out three files. She closed the drawer and spun around to face front again. She placed the files on top of the desk and reached into another drawer on her right hand side. She shuffled through the papers for a few moments and apparently found what she was looking for. She placed the paper on her desk and closed the drawer. She took up her pen and began writing on it.

He looked at her with a curious expression and said, "Jen? What you doing?" She did not respond only filled out the paper she had fetched from the drawer. When she was finished she set the pen down and placed the paper on top of the files. She looked back up at Tony with an amused look upon her face.

"Why can't I have the position Jen?" He asked again. She smiled broadly at him she said, "Because I just gave you a new one. Team lead. Cold case files. Until a different lead position becomes available." Tony just sat there stunned. She continued, "I can't let you have a full team but here are three files of probational agents. You can have one." He continued to look at her in shock. He finally managed, "You just made up a new position? For me?" She smiled at him again and said, "Tony, you're a good leader even if you don't believe it. An agent working under you will not only help them but also help you. Like I said this is only until a lead position becomes available here in DC. Think you can handle it?"

He smiled his most dazzling smile at her and said, "Thank you Jen. Really, thank you." She nodded at him as he picked up the files. He turned to leave and as he was reaching for the door she said, "Tony, I need a name by tomorrow. It's Friday and I want my new cold case team ready by Tuesday. Don't worry bout Gibbs tomorrow, as of this minute you're off his team. Move your stuff on Monday. Congratulations Supervisory Agent DiNozzo." Tony smiled and nodded at her again before leaving.

Now all Jenny had to do was talk to Gibbs.


	3. Chapter 3

**Okay. I started writing this earlier but got sidetracked. It is now 4:48 in the morning and I am presently on my way to bed. I really wanted to get this chapter up tonight though. I hope it's good. Most of it is just filler for the confrontation. As always no beta. And thank you for the reviews, keep em coming.**

**A/N: Don't own NCIS characters or anything pertaining to the show.**

Tony was sitting at his desk very early Friday morning. He had arrived before any one else had and he was going over the personnel files that the director had given him. He was reading through each with excruciating detail, making sure not to miss a single thing. He was pretty happy with the director's choices.

First was a file for probationary agent Alex Domingues. She had been a cop in New York then promoted to detective at DC metro police. Degree's in criminology and sociology. Average test scores for marksmanship. Joined NCIS four months ago and finished FLETC training one month ago. Currently assigned to Special Agent Harrison chasing down AWOL soldiers.

Second was probationary agent Mike Fahalan. Former Navy MP. Degree in criminology. Above average marksmanship scores. Middle eastern language skills. Joined NCIS six months ago and finished FLETC three months ago. Currently assigned to Special Agent Downy down at the Middle East desk.

And last but not least Tony thought as he opened the last folder. Probationary agent Lee Fuller. Transferred from FBI. As soon as Tony read that he used to be FBI he closed the folder and set it off to the side. A cop and a discharged sailor were good but he'd be damned if he was gonna take in anyone from the alphabet soup.

He turned back to the first two files and began rereading them looking for anything he might have missed in the files. As he read the files a second time he began to scribble on his notepad certain facts that he would look up later with the computer database.

The elevator chimed and Ziva and McGee walked out and into the bullpen. "Morning Tony." Ziva said as she sat behind her desk. Tim just nodded his greeting. Tony replied, "Morning Ziva, Tim." Ziva noticed Tony looking rather intently at the files. She asked, "Do we have a new case?" Tony looked up from his files and said, "No, just checking some things out." He closed the files and put them in his drawer before locking it. Ziva had noticed him locking the drawer and thought that was very strange considering he had never locked it once since she had been working here. She put it to the back of her mind for further study later.

Tony had begun researching his two prospective agents. Both Ziva and McGee had begun their normal routines when there was no work to be done. They were looking through old files and rechecking paperwork. Both found it extremely odd that Tony, on a day like today with nothing to do, was not annoying them senseless or starting paper wad fights.

Tony's phone rang a few moments later. He talked for a few moments with the director. As soon as he hung up Gibbs walked into the bullpen. Once Tony noticed this he said, "Gibbs, director wants to see you."

He waited a few seconds before casting the younger agent a disparaging look and said, "You gonna tell me why DiNozzo?" Tony turned back to his computer and shrugged and said, "Didn't ask." Gibbs glared at Tony for a second before heading up to the directors' office.

Tony finished his coffee and sank back into his chair. This was it. The point of no return. He took a deep breath looked at McGee and Ziva then he remembered why he was doing this. Shaking his coffee cup he got up to get another.

Once Tony was gone Ziva asked McGee, "Have you noticed anything strange about Tony lately McGee?"

He shrugged his shoulders and continued to stare at his screen, "Not really why?" She wrinkled her nose in confusion and said, "I do not know. Something is different. He does not call Gibbs boss anymore. He seems colder to him than usual. He just does not seem like himself anymore yes?" McGee scoffed at her and said, "Come on." He paused for a moment to tear his eyes from his screen to look at Ziva before continuing, "It's Tony we're talking about here. He was team lead now he's not. If anything he's a little jealous of boss. Give him a few day's and he'll be his usual egotistical annoying self." He turned back to his computer and began typing again. Ziva just frowned at his answer and said, "I do not think so Tim. I think there is something going on." She finished her sentence just in time as Tony was back from getting his coffee.

He felt Ziva's eyes on him as he sat at his desk and continued his research. He glanced up from his computer to look at Ziva and said, "Yes Ziva? Something I can help you with?" She looked away quickly than back at him and asked, "Are you okay Tony? You seem to be a little…distracted lately."

His response was cut off by Gibbs yelling at the top of the stairs, "DiNozzo! My office! Now!" Tony stood taking his time before going towards the elevator that an irate Gibbs was now standing at waiting for him. He stopped by Ziva's desk and said, "I'll be okay. After awhile." He gave her a fond smile that looked to her like it had a tinge of sadness to it. Then he walked towards the elevator and the confrontation that he knew was coming sooner or later.

* * *

As the elevator doors closed he could feel the anger radiating off from his former mentor. Oddly enough this only added to his own anger that was starting to rise.

Gibbs slammed a button for autopsy and once the elevator started to move he slammed on the emergency brake.

Gibbs turned and glared directly at his senior field agent and said, "Something you wanna tell me DiNozzo?" Tony stood his ground not turning to meet face his old mentor. Gibbs's eyes bored into the side of Tony's head until Tony said, "I am guessing you already know anything I am going to say."

Gibbs continued to glare at the younger man and icily said, "Anything in particular making you quit?" Tony didn't rise up to take the bait and continued to stare at the blank metal wall in front of him. Tony kept his voice even and controlled and said, "Nothing worth you bothering over."

Anger rose up again in Gibbs as he said, "Cut the crap DiNozzo. This is about being demoted isn't it." Tony could take a lot but Gibbs's obliviousness had caused him to snap. He quickly turned towards him and shouted, "You've been back for three days and you took everything I had!" Tony's eyes bore into Gibbs'. Gibbs yelled back, "I didn't demote you DiNozzo, the director did." Tony shook his head wildly, "You still think this is about the job!?" Gibbs eyes narrowed as he stared at Tony and he replied, "Then what's it about DiNozzo?"

"It's about you Gibbs." Tony said. He continued in a calm steady tone, "You abandoned us all. Abby didn't talk for two days and I held her till she cried herself to sleep for a week. It took two months to get her out of the shell you put her in. Ziva put back up every wall we broke down since she got here. Took awhile but she began to trust and let people in again without secrets to bind them together. McGee got to prove to himself how good of an agent he really was and had fun doing it. I did that. Yet they still wanted you. Fine they want you they get you but when you come back everyone reverts back to what they were. Ziva's walls go back up, McGee loses self-confidence and Abby just forgets the pain you caused." He paused for a moment to let his words sink in. Gibbs just glared at him. Tony said, "That's what you took from me. You didn't take them, you took the people they became."

Tony took a step back and turned to face the doors again. Tony leaned over and pressed the emergency stop again and the elevator roared to life heading down to autopsy. They rode in silence. Gibbs just glared at Tony. Tony turned to Gibbs one last time before the doors opened and said, "And I can't go back to the way I was before. Because even before you took all this, you took the one thing away I never thought I would lose. My respect for you." With that being said he left the elevator.

* * *

Tony felt as though a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders as he entered autopsy. But the sudden release of emotions he had bottled up left him feeling drained and gave him a killer headache. He felt the cool air rush over him as he looked around the room. He spotted Ducky and Palmer working on a corpse that one of the other teams had brought in.

Ducky turned as he heard the doors swoosh open and noticed Tony walking in with a tired expression.

"What's wrong my dear boy?" Ducky's Scottish accent droned out. Tony gave Ducky a sad smile and said, "Pretty much just told Gibbs everything I have saying to you two for three days."

"Oh, my." Was Ducky's response. Ducky removed his helmet and motioned for Palmer to do the same. They both removed their gloves and washed their wands. They stripped off their medical gowns and Ducky said to Palmer, "Mr. Palmer, I do believe our recent patient requires the bottle in the lower right hand drawer." "Yes doctor." Was Jimmy's reply. While Palmer went to retrieve the bottle and three glasses Ducky leaned against one of the autopsy table across from Tony. "And what brought this conversation up?" He asked Tony.

When Palmer had returned with the bottle and three glasses Tony began to relate the story to them. After the story was finished they all sat in companionable silence, swirling the dark liquid in their glasses. Tony took a deep breath and asked, "Tell me I did the right thing Duck." Ducky smiled at the younger man and said, "In my opinion, yes you did. He needed to know why. You told him, rather bluntly." Tony smiled and raised his glass to the two men before tipping it back. He said, "Thanks guys." Palmer nodded at Tony and Ducky simply patted his arm before he left.

* * *

When the elevator doors opened Gibbs tore into the bullpen. He went straight to his desk and opened up one of the drawers. He pulled out his SIG and badge and secured them to his belt. He grabbed his coat from over his chair and began to stride out of the bullpen again.

He stopped at Tony's desk and turned to look at Ziva and McGee. He angrily barked out, "Go Home! Done for the day!" With those parting words he entered the elevator again and slammed on the button.

When the doors closed Ziva turned to McGee and said, "I wonder what this is all about." McGee looked just as shocked as her and said, "Don't know but he's pretty pissed. Whatever Tony did he better apologize." They began to gather their gear slowly. When they had finished they walked to the elevator together. Ziva turned to McGee and said, "Something is not right Tim. Tony and Gibbs go into the elevator. Gibbs is livid. Gibbs comes back alone more angry than when he went in and then gives us the rest of the day off? Not to mention Tony has not come back yet." Tim nodded his agreement. "Don't worry Ziva. I am sure everything will be worked out by Monday. Remember we got the weekend off." She cast a doubtful smile at him and said, "I hope you are right."

* * *

Around four o'clock Tony knocked on the directors office door. He entered after hearing her give him the okay.

He walked straight to her desk and set all three of the files she gave him down. He nodded at her and said, "I made my choice." She looked up at him and asked, "Which one?"

He sat in one of the chairs and said, "Alex Domingues. The cop." Jen had figured he would take the only female candidate she gave him. She couldn't help it but she asked, "And why exactly?"

Tony knew he was being baited but answered anyway, "She used to be a cop. looked up her police reports and all were done well. Good investigative skills. Smart cookie too. Two degrees. She's only been on active duty for a month so she hasn't had her skill tainted by other agents." She continued to look at him until he broke into a smile and said, "Oh and she's hot."


	4. Chapter 4

**First off guys I want to thank you so much for the reviews. They have been really encouraging. This chapter started off as one thing but then kinda turned into something different than I intended. Don't know if thats a good or bad thing but i am sure yall will tell me if I screwed this story up. This one isn't as long as the others, I was planning on making this chapter longer but i decided to put most of it in the next chapter. Please keep reviewing and let me know what i am doing wrong. Don't wanna dissappoint you the audience. **

**_N/A: Don't own NCIS or anything connected to it._**

Tony had been dreading Monday morning all weekend long. He had spent the whole weekend second-guessing himself about everything. His decision to switch to a different team, his outburst with Gibbs, and finally the choice of his new probie.

Before he had left on Friday he had taken some cold case files to familiarize himself with some of the cases that him and his new charge were going to be involved with. He couldn't help but think that the cases were well investigated but a few leads that should have been followed up on hadn't been. "Oh, well", he thought to himself. Hopefully the leads would lead them to a quick conclusion to the first few cases his 'Team' had been assigned.

He had been in contact with the director over the weekend over the details of his new agent's transfer. She would be arriving from Norfolk on Tuesday and they had been assigned two desks on the far-left end of the bullpen. And now was the morning that he was so apprehensive about all weekend.

He woke up earlier than he normally would and quickly got through his morning routine. He wanted to get to work early and begin the transfer of his desk before the others arrived. But this brought up a whole new slew of problems. He was exhausted from going through case reports and wondering what conflicts the new workweek would bring. So now he was tired and on edge. God he hoped he didn't snap at anyone.

He entered the elevator and began the ride that would deliver him to the unpleasant task in front of him. He took a deep breath and pressed the button for the bullpen. He rode in silence taking deep breaths to steady himself. When the light lit up the number for his floor he quickly replaced his concerned face with a mask of stoicism.

He strode to his desk with purpose taking glances around the rest of the area to make sure that none of his team had arrived yet. He placed his backpack on the ground beside his desk and looked at the amount of stuff he had to move. He thought to himself briefly how much crap he had accumulated over the years.

He pulled two cardboard boxes from under the table behind his desk and began emptying his drawers. Going through his desk he felt a pang of guilt for leaving but he knew it was for the best. He thumbed through and old issue of FHM before throwing it into the garbage, followed by several others. He made quick time sorting through the items that for five years he thought were absolutely crucial to keep his sanity under the extremes of working for Gibbs.

Both boxes sat on top of the desk almost like they were grounding him to this spot. He sat in the chair with a sigh and opened the final drawer seeing the small lock-box that contained Gibbs medals and awards. He picked the lock-box up and placed it on top of his desk and ran his fingers over it. He thought back to the reasons that Gibbs had won them. He had been on his team for most of them and he still remembered the fond times he had spent with Kate and Gibbs. At that time it seemed like an award for Gibbs was an award for the whole team, but now it seemed totally different. The bad times seemed to outweigh the good. He thought back to all the hardship, pain, late nights, failed relationships, nonexistent social lives him and Kate had to put up with, so Gibbs could get his man. He thought back to Gibbs screaming at him and Kate like a petulant child because he wanted a name, or Gibbs throwing a tantrum like three-year-old banging chairs against the ground or a desk because they didn't have the answers he wanted. He chuckled to himself thinking that he and Kate deserved medals for putting up with him.

With a small frown he took the key to the box off his chain and inserted it into the keyhole. He carried the box over the McGee's desk, almost as if he was passing his memories over to the younger agent. He put the box in McGee's lower right hand drawer and patted it one last time. McGee wouldn't find it for a little while, as that was the drawer the younger agent rarely used.

He sighed deeply and returned to his desk and picked up the boxes. He wanted to get settled as quickly as possible.

* * *

A hand slid through the elevator doors just, as they were about to close. Ziva looked at the hand expectantly until the doors slid open revealing a red faced, out of breath McGee. She took a step to the side allowing him entry into the car.

He took a moment to collect himself and said, "You didn't hear me yell for you to hold the elevator?" She looked puzzled for a moment before replying, "No, I did not hear you. I am sorry McGee. My mind has been elsewhere this morning." He smiled down at her and said, "It's alright. Didn't get a chance to go to the gym this weekend so I guess I got my cardio in now."

She nodded up at him and smiled. Her eyes came to rest on the elevator doors once again. She could not shake this weird feeling she had had all weekend long. She would guess it was something similar to Gibbs gut feeling that something was wrong. She didn't know what it was but somehow knew that it wasn't going to be good.

McGee's voice broke into her thoughts when he said, "I hope Gibbs is in a better mood today than last week." Ziva nodded at the words as the elevator opened.

They walked into the bullpen side by side. They both went immediately to their desks not bothering to look for Gibbs or Tony. Tony was never in this early and Gibbs usually didn't show up in the bullpen for at least another half-hour. He was here, they both knew, he just never showed up right away.

They both turned on their respective computers and settled down into their chairs. McGee began searching through his computer looking for old files that he should upload to the NCIS main servers. Ziva looked through old case reports. She knew they had been done properly but she was just making sure that everything was done correctly. She was nothing if thorough.

That weird feeling still was with her and it began to get worse. Like the first whiffs of rain that let you know a storm was brewing and was going to unleash it's torrent shortly. She tried to brush off the feeling and returned to the case files.

A female voice broke her concentration. "Umm, excuse me." Ziva looked up from her reports at the voice that had interrupted her. She took a moment to allow her gaze to take in the woman. She was about Ziva's own height but looked more solid. She had long black hair that was tied up in a ponytail but still left a few strands to frame her face. She was very attractive and looked to be of Latino descent. A thought occurred to her that if Tony were here he would call her a cross between Salma Hayek and Michelle Rodriguez. She was wearing a black pencil skirt with white pin-strips and a matching coat over a white blouse. Ziva took it all in in a moments glance and asked, "Yes? Can I help you?"

"Yeah I hope so. I am looking for the director's office. I just got transferred here and wanted to check in before I start tomorrow." The woman said.

McGee was looking at the woman with an appreciative gaze and unchecked erotic thoughts. 'God, I am becoming Tony' He thought to himself. He had heard the small exchange between the two and he stood and walked over to where the two women were talking.

He introduced himself, "Hi, Special Agent Timothy McGee." He held out his hand for her to shake which she did. He smiled at her and she said, "Probationary Agent Alex Domingues. Nice to meet you Agent McGee."

Ziva, after seeing McGee try to welcome the recent transfer, also stood and held out her hand to shake. Ziva said, "Mossad Liaison Officer Ziva David." Alex took her hand as well and shook it. Before really thinking McGee quickly said, "If you need any help settling in or need anything just let me know." He internally cringed at what he had just said. An awkward silence hung in the air.

Alex gave McGee a very reluctant and not so encouraging smile and said, "Yeah…umm…just the directors office. I…I think I'll be good after that."

McGee internally berated himself for just blurting out whatever popped into his head and in a small voice said, "Umm…up the stairs to the right. End of the hallway past MTAC."

Alex replied, "Umm thanks. Nice to meet you Agent McGee." She then turned to Ziva and said, "Really nice to meet you too Officer David." With her good-byes said she quickly walked away from the awkwardness and headed in the direction of the director's office.

Ziva cast a knowing smile towards McGee and said, "Do you wish to help her 'settle in' Tim?" McGee's face turned slightly red as he turned back to his desk and muttered, "I've been working with Tony for too long." Ziva had heard him and chuckled quietly. "I do not think so. If you had been I think you would have been more…soft?…no…smooth?" She excitedly pointed her finger at Tim, happy that she had worked it out by herself and said, "Yes! You would have been smoother."

McGee rolled his eyes at her and placed his head in his hands thinking about the colossal fool he had just made of himself.


	5. Chapter 5

**Okay guys here is the next chapter. Thank you so much for the amazing reviews. After hearing them I didn't know if I should write anymore or not, lot of pressure, lol. To answer some of your questions I am not sure if the Tony and Jeanne thing will still happen. I did go AU after Gibbs got back and it is kinda addressed in this chapter a little bit. As for Tony and Ziva being together I am getting a lot of hints that people don't want it. I think it still might be in their but only as a friend thing maybe more if you squint at it. Tony does reveal his leaving to someone in this chapter but I am not sure how I am going to go about it with the others. If you guys have any input on that pls let me know.**

**I still don't know exactly where I am going with this story and I am not sure if Tony will make up with Gibbs or not. And a few of you had said that Gibbs was acting childish. It's true. I saw a couple of old episodes where Gibbs and the team were still trying to find out who Ari was and saw him screaming like a child. That and the random acts of pushing chairs or slamming his fist down on the table when he wants something and it just makes think of a toddler with a gun. Sorry if yall don't like that imagery. But enough from here. Here is chapter 5**

**A/N: Don't own NCIS or anything remotely close to it.**

Alex walked through the doors to see a nicely spaced room with a couch and chair on one side and a desk opposite of them in front of a window. There was a pretty woman sitting behind the desk talking on the phone. She apprehensively approached the desk thinking this might not have been the best idea she ever had. Why hadn't she just waited until tomorrow to come in or at least called ahead and made an appointment. She just put it up to being nervous and wanted to get over the initial awkwardness of the new job as quickly as possible.

She waited patiently as the woman behind the desk finished up her phone call. She heard her say, "Now Tony." The woman on the phone held up her finger to let Alex know that she would be just a second. "I don't know… she just said she wanted to see you… now…I'll let her know." The woman said as she hung up the phone. She smiled and shook her head as she pressed a button on the intercom. She said into the speaker, "Director, he's on his way up now." Alex heard a pretty sounding voice from the other end saying, "Thank you Cynthia. Send him right in when he gets here."

The woman, Cynthia apparently, turned to Alex and said, "Yes? May I help you?" Alex nodded and took another step forward and said, "Probationary Agent Domingues. I just got transferred here from Norfolk and I was told to see the director?" Cynthia smiled and typed a few keys on the computer. She frowned and said, "The director isn't expecting to see you until tomorrow." Alex nodded at her and after a moment she sheepishly said, "Guess I just kinda wanted to get the first day over with you know." Cynthia smiled and let a small chuckle escape her lips and said, "Trust me I know what that's like. She has meeting in a moment but after I think I can squeeze you in. If you don't mind taking a seat." Alex nodded and smiled her thanks before turning on her heel and walked over to the comfortable looking couch and sat down.

After a few minutes Alex heard a sound at the door. She turned her head and saw a tall attractive man walk in. He quickly took in the room and when he saw her sitting there he flashed her a bright smile. Alex couldn't help but smile back at the man. He was good looking and dressed in a fancy suit that must have cost at least 600 dollars. And he had light brown hair that looked like it had been gelled but styled in a douchebag slacker 23 year old movie star who's trying too hard not to conform to society kinda way, but it looked good on this man.

He stopped in front of Cynthia's desk and turned his attention to the receptionist. Cynthia smiled and looked at her watch and said, "Your late Tony." He looked down at her with a small smile and said, "How exactly can I be late for an appointment, which in fact isn't an appointment? If it _was_ an appointment I _could _be late, but this is just you calling me telling me she wants to see me. A call that came in four minutes ago I might add. So technically I am right on time considering there was no set time for me to be here." Tony smiled proudly at the logic that he had created in his own head.

Alex, hearing the conversation, laughed and both Cynthia and Tony turned their heads to look at her. Cynthia said to her, "Please don't encourage him." She quickly sobered and muttered a, "Sorry." She looked down at herself and started picking imaginary lint off of her skirt.

Tony sent a look of mock hurt towards Cynthia. Cynthia sighed and said to Tony, "Get in there Tony. She's waiting for you." Tony nodded at her and smiled at Alex before walking into the director's office.

* * *

Tony walked into the director's office to see her sitting behind her chair looking at some loose papers she held in her hand. She had her dark framed glasses sitting on the end of her nose and they looked close to falling off whenever she moved her head to quickly.

Tony went to stand in front of her desk and said, "Cynthia said you wanted to see me Madam Director?" She looked up at him over her glasses and pointed to one of the chairs with the hand that still held the papers. She waited for him to sit before she put the papers down and slid the glasses off of her nose. She rubbed the spot on her nose where the glasses were precariously perched and asked, "Have you told them yet Tony?"

Tony nervously rubbed the back of his neck and leaned forward in his chair a little more. He sheepishly said, "No, not yet. Been busy settling in to my new desk so far this morning. Haven't seen them." Jen leaned back in her chair and sighed. She said, "You know Tony the longer you wait the harder it's going to be. They are trained investigators you know, pretty soon their gonna notice your not sitting at your desk and your stuff is gone."

He nodded at her and after a moments silence said, "Don't worry, I'll tell them. I chose this so I am just gonna have to bite the bullet."

She nodded her head and said, "Good. It'll be better to get this whole situation behind you sooner rather than later." She shoved a few papers on her desk to the side and clasped her hands together before setting them down on the bare surface. She started in a firm tone of voice, "Now that that's dealt with we can get to the reason I called you in here."

Tony hearing the shifting of her tone from a friend into business sat up straighter in his char and scooted farther back into it.

She said, "I have an offer for you. I was hoping that you might be able to assist me in a special case." He nodded his head for her to continue genuinely intrigued by the idea of a 'special' case. She continued, "I am not set on mission parameters at this time nor am I certain what information we may receive. If you do this it is strictly need to know, top secret."

Tony took all this information and his mind started to work. He asked, "Surveillance? Undercover?" She smiled at him. Tony was great at both aspects of those missions. She shook her head and said, "Not yet. Can I count on you?" Tony tilted his head to the side weighing his options and thinking things over. After a moment he came to a conclusion and said, "I am in, but I should tell you that my head isn't really in a great spot right now. With all the things going on around here I might not be the best man for the job."

She raised her eyebrows and said, "If you weren't the right man for the job we wouldn't be having this conversation right now. But I can understand your point. This isn't anything-long term as of yet. Think your head can handle that?"

He smiled brightly at her and said, "Yeah. Pretty sure my head can handle that."

She smiled at him and picked up one of the papers she had set to the side a moment ago. She replaced her glasses on her nose and began reading the page once again. After a minute she realized that Tony hadn't left yet. She put the paper back down and asked, "Is there something else?" Tony frowned and said, "I am not sure. My probie starts tomorrow right?" Jen gave him a 'duh' look and nodded. Tony's frown deepened and said, "I am just wondering why she is sitting in Cynthia's office then."

A puzzled look crossed Jen's face. She reached for the intercom and pressed the talk button and said, "Cynthia? Do I have anyone waiting to speak with me?" She released the button waiting for the quick response she has come to expect from her secretary. Cynthia's voice crackled to life from the speaker and said, "Yes Ma'am. An Agent Domingues."

Jen looked up at Tony and he just smiled and said, "I guess she just couldn't wait to work for me." She gave him a soft smile and shook her head. She thought about sending Tony on his way before talking to the young agent but decided now is as good a time as any to get introductions out of the way. She pressed the talk button on the intercom one more time and said, "Would you please send her in Cynthia."

Jen sat further back into her chair and waited for her newest agent to enter. Tony also sat deeper into his seat and was waiting expectantly. He thought she had been hot in the picture that had been placed in her file but when he saw her in Cynthia's office he noticed that the picture didn't do her a whole lot of justice.

After a moment Alex walked into the director's office and again her eyes were drawn to the smile of the man who was seated in front of the director. She quickly focused all of her attention to the red headed woman behind the desk and went to stand in front of her. Alex said, "Probationary Agent Domingues reporting Ma'am."

Director Shepard looked the woman up and down and in a firm voice said, "You're a little early aren't you Domingues?" Alex looked flustered at the words and said, "Umm…yes Ma'am. Just anxious to get started Ma'am."

Tony let a smirk cross his features and quietly said, "Told ya." Jen quickly quieted Tony with a sharp glance, which Alex noted, and returned her attention to the young agent standing in front of her. Jen said, "Well then…Do you know why you were sent here?" Alex shook her head quickly and said, "No Ma'am. All I was told was I was transferred to D.C. effective immediately and to report directly to you Ma'am." Jen sent a small smirk of her own towards Tony whose eyes narrowed at the jibe.

Jen motioned towards Tony and said, "Probationary Agent Domingues I would like to introduce you to your new Supervisory Agent. Anthony DiNozzo." Upon hearing his name Tony stood and offered Alex his hand. She nodded at him before taking his hand and said, "Sir." Tony released her hand and had a sour look on his face and said, "Please don't call me sir." She had a confused look on her face but nodded at him and he took his seat once more. Director Shepard motioned for Alex to do the same. Alex sat in the cushy chair but kept her back straight and shoulders square.

Jen leaned forward in her desk placing her elbows on top of it and said, "The reason you have been assigned here is I have put together a small unit to go over cold cases." Alex's face drooped somewhat when the words cold case appeared in the conversation. Jen noticed this and hid her smirk before it erupted onto her face. She understood the young woman's reaction. Usually if you are pulled off of something and assigned to cold cases that meant you did something wrong. Jen trying to put the woman's mind at ease said, "DiNozzo, I would like to talk to Agent Domingues in private for a moment." Tony nodded and stood up giving Jen a knowing smirk before heading to the door to wait outside.

The director leaned back in her chair before asking, "Something wrong?" Alex had a perplexed look on her face like she wanted to say something but was thinking the better of it. "Domingues?" Jen asked. That broke through Alex's doubt and she asked, "Have I done something wrong director? I mean don't get me wrong I am thankful for the opportunity but isn't this a step down from my previous assignment?" Jen smiled reassuringly at the young woman and said, "This isn't a step down trust me. The particular cold cases you will be working with will probably have you doing more running than looking for AWOL sailors ever had you doing." Jen leaned forward in her chair and once again rested her arms on top of the desk. She squarely eyed the younger woman and in a serious tone said, "This is a great opportunity for you. Your going to be working with one of NCIS's best agents on cases that some of the best investigators here couldn't solve. Trust me."

Alex nodded at the director. Taking in reassurance that this wasn't a step down the ladder that she already was on the lowest rung of. She looked at the red haired woman behind the desk and said, "Thank you director." Jen smiled and picked up one of the papers on her desk and said, "Now could you please go and save Cynthia from Agent DiNozzo please." Alex had a beautiful smile on her face as she nodded at the director and left the office.

* * *

Tony and Alex talked lightly back and forth as he showed her around the building that was her new place of employment. Their talking seemed to die down as they entered the far end of the bullpen. She thought his mind seemed to be elsewhere but thought better to ask about it, as she had only known the man for two hours now. Tony for his part was ecstatic that he hadn't ran into anyone from team Gibbs. He took her to where their desks were located and sat behind his as she sat behind hers.

Tony started up his computer and typed in a couple of commands bringing up the virtual file of the first case they would be working on. He thought no better time than the present to get his probies feet wet.

He looked across the aisle at her and noticed her frowning at her computer. A small smirk played across his lips as he remembered one of Ziva's first days when she all but broke the damn thing because she wasn't used to the operating system. He asked, "Something wrong Probie?"

Without looking up from her monitor she said, "Well the password is supposed to be reset on this thing but apparently it isn't. I can't get in." She banged on the keyboard a few more times before looking up helplessly at Tony. She said, "I am not the greatest with computers. If I ever have a problem at home I have to ask my daughter for help." Tony looked shocked and confused and asked, "You have a daughter? That wasn't in your file." Now it was Alex's turn to look confused and asked, "It's not?" She looked at her watch and said, "Well let me assure you that right now there is a very cranky four year old little girl getting put down for her nap."

Tony nodded at her but his mind raced with the different things he would have to change about how he made them work now. He wouldn't make a mother stay at work for twenty hours following up leads. Then the thought popped into his head that when they are out in the field he would have to be a little more watchful than he was in the past. His childhood sucked but he could at least try to make Alex's daughters more bearable from a boss standpoint.

Well regardless that computer needed to be working. Normally he would just have McGee fix it but that might not be the best option considering he had yet to talk to the team. But then a thought flashed through his mind. He thought of an old strategy that had served commanders well over the years. Divide and conquer. He could have McGee help Alex with her computer then while he was gone he could talk to Ziva. Then when the cat was out of the bag with her he could tell McGee a little later or Ziva would break it to him, either way the truth would be out and Alex's computer would get fixed. It would be hard but he would have to do it.

He swallowed the lump that suddenly found itself in his throat and said, "Don't worry bout it. I'll…go get someone to fix it." He stood from his desk and took a few of the case reports he had been researching over the weekend and placed them on her desk. He told her, "Learn these front to back. And the guy who's fixing your computer don't tell him what you're working on or whom you're working for. Okay?" She looked up at him with a peculiar puzzled expression but nodded none the less. If he didn't want anyone to know, no one would. He nodded down at her and left their working area.

* * *

Tony's head popped up over the divider that separated Ziva's desk from the main walkway. Not seeing Gibbs he stood all the way up and walked into the square of desks.

Ziva who had noticed Tony looking over the divider had an amused expression on her face as she said, "Trying to sneak in so Gibbs does not yell at you for being late Tony?" That lump that Tony had swallowed earlier began to rise again at what he had to do. He shook his head at her and turned his attention to McGee who sat behind his desk typing away. Tony plastered his best fake smile on his face and said, "Hey McGee, would you mind doing me a favor. A new probie started today. Agent Domingues. She can't seem to get her computer up and running."

McGee's face blushed a bright red at hearing the agents' name and Ziva started to chuckle. Tony raised a single eyebrow looking between the two of them. Obviously he was not in on the joke so he asked, "Am I missing something?"

McGee shook his head quickly and said, "No. Nothings wrong." Tony looked back to Ziva and saw her placing a hand over her mouth to stop from laughing. A small smile played across Tony's lips as he asked, "Ziva? Something funny?" She took a moment and collected herself before saying, "We met her this morning. She was looking for the directors office and McGee was kind enough to let her know the way."

Tony knowing that there had to be more to the story than that asked, "And?" Ziva's eyes flashed mischievously and said, "And he might have made a small misstep while attempting to flirt with her."

McGee once again was holding his head in his hands and groaned. He shook his head before looking up at the other two agents and said, "I didn't mean to say it. It just popped out." A sudden thought popped into McGee's mind and he said, "Wait a minute. Is that why your so late Tony. Were you hitting on the new girl all morning long." At hearing these words Ziva leaned in closer across the desk to hear Tony's response.

Tony cast McGee and amused look and said, "No McGee. I wasn't flirting with her all morning. I was up in the director's office when she arrived. After we both talked to the director I showed her around. Her computer isn't working though so I figured you could help her out." Tony smiled inwardly thinking that he had covered his tracks pretty well. McGee seemed to buy it although Ziva seemed to be thinking about what he said, and that was never a good thing. He new she was going to ask something so he figured if he could get McGee out of here quick enough her could talk to her alone. Tony continued on with, "Come on McGee. You think you could give her a hand?"

McGee nodded slowly before getting out of his desk to head in the direction that Tony had pointed him in. Tony couldn't resist giving him a hard time one last time and said, "And be a gentleman McGee." McGee rolled his eyes and muttered, "Shut it, DiNozzo." He left the bullpen and that left Tony and Ziva alone.

They looked at each other for a few moments before Tony let a sad smile cross his features and he said, "Ziva could I talk to you alone for a moment?"

That gut feeling that Ziva had been feeling all day started to kick up another notch as she just nodded at Tony. Tony jerked his head in the direction of one of the conference rooms and headed in that direction. A very confused Ziva followed in his wake. When they reached conference room one and Tony checked to make sure that it was not in use he held the door open for Ziva. She walked in casting her confused expression at Tony as she passed him. Tony's behavior was unnerving to her and now she truly felt like there was something wrong.

She walked into the room and leaned against a counter across from where Tony was standing, the long table between them. She looked at him anxiously and said, "Yes Tony. We are alone now. What is it you wanted to talk about?" Tony fidgeted nervously with his hands and said, 'Umm…Okay hang on." He started pacing back and forth and ran his hand through his hair a few times. Ziva sat in silence watching him. Finally he stopped and placed his palms on the table supporting his body. He looked up at her and said, "I think this is one of the hardest things I have ever had to say." Ziva took these words in and guessed at what he was going to say. She inwardly smiled at the thought that he was so nervous about telling her he had feelings for her. He was one of her closest friends so she would just have to tell him that she understood his feelings for her and at one point had them as well but they had to be pushed aside and all they could be was friends.

She let a small sigh escape her lips and said, "I understand Tony." He quickly looked up at her and said, "Umm…no I don't think you do." She smiled and took a step closer to the table and said, "You are trying to tell me you have feelings for me yes?" Tony's eyes shot wide open and he quickly said in a loud voice, "No!" Ziva felt her cheeks burn as she blushed and now she felt like a damn fool. Now she was slightly hurt at the quick rebuff to the idea that he had feelings for her. Now she was hurt, confused and angry with herself for thinking she knew what he was going to say. It made her next words come out harsher than she intended them to. She asked, "Than what are you trying to say Tony?"

He took a deep breath and stood up to his full height. He really couldn't put this off one second longer if that's what she was thinking. "Ziva…you're one of my best friends and I want you to know that I will always be here for you if you need me. You know that right?" Her face had a confused expression as she nodded yes to his question. He said, "Good. As long as you know that. I took a promotion that the director offered me." Ziva's eyes shot open as wide as saucers when he finished his sentence. She didn't know what to say. Her mind raced with all the possibilities of what the team would do now without him and all the places he could have been sent to. Something clicked in her mind as she thought of the reason Gibbs was so upset on Friday, he must have found out about this. Of all the things running through her head she could only voice one. In a small voice she asked, "Why?"

Tony looked at her with his sad little smile and said, "It's complicated." Her eyes that were flashing a thousand emotions finally seemed to settle on one. Anger. She shouted, "Complicated? You tell me you are breaking up our team and the only thing you can tell me as to why is 'It is complicated'?" When Tony didn't respond to her she asked, "What is this really about Tony? Are you mad because you are not the team lead anymore? If that is the reason Tony it is not good enough." Tony looked down at his feet and in a small voice said, "It isn't about that Ziva. It's about me." Some of her anger had dissolved at his words and with a voice laced with emotion for her lost partner she asked, "What about you?"

Tony looked up from his shoes and gazed straight into her eyes. He thought about telling her the truth of the situation. Telling her of how he felt the entire time he was the team lead. Being there for all of them but knowing they all wished for Gibbs to be back. How at the first signs of trouble they all tried to get Gibbs instead of trusting him enough with the problem. About how much it hurt to be cast aside and thrown to the wolves the moment Gibbs stepped back into the office. But he couldn't do that. If he did he would see his own pity and weakness reflected back at him every time he looked into her eyes.

He looked down at the table separating them and in a shaky voice said, "I'm just different now." He looked up at her again to see her eyes watering around the edges and said, "I am sorry Ziva." He turned and began to walk to the door. His hand turned the lever and when the door was opened halfway he heard her sad voice say, "We were partners Tony." He stopped and looked back at her. When their eyes met she saw a single tear drip down his cheek. He smiled sadly at her and said, "We always will be."


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry it took so long to update guys. Really had no idea where to go with this story. Usually when i want to update i just sit down and start writing and then post it but i really didn't know where to go with it. I took a little time and made a small outline that i probably wont stick to but at least it's there now. And thank you guys so much for the reviews. I really do appreciate them. In this chapter we get to know a little more about Alex and hopefully at least one of you will like what i put in there considering they were hoping for a Alex and Tony pairing which may or may not happen. Plus there is some Ziva in here as well and that pairing might also happen. I haven't decided. Or maybe all three of them could fall in love with eachother lol. Anyway hope you guys like this and i promise the next chapter will be up sooner.**

Tony turned to leave after he uttered those words embarrassed that she had seen a tear fall down his cheek. He got one foot out of the door before he felt her hand on his arm. He stopped in his tracks at her touch and waited for the tirade of Hebrew curses that would undoubtedly spring forth. Instead he heard her say in a soft voice, "If we will always be partners, then you can tell me what is really going on Tony."

He did not expect this of her. The wall that she had replaced must not have been built as high as he had thought. Maybe there was a chance that his friendship with her had not reached that point where he couldn't confide in her. He sighed in defeat. He needed to tell her the truth. He needed to tell her why he felt so strongly about this and the reason he was breaking up the only thing that resembled a family for him and a place where she was accepted as an investigator and not just a killer.

Defeated by her words he said, "I will tell you Ziva. Just I can't do this here. Come by my place after work and we can talk." She looked at him with slightly puffy eyes considering his comment. They had not spent any time outside of work for a little while now. She had missed their last Wednesday night because of all the excitement with Gibbs returning. He must have felt bad about that. For months nothing had taken precedence over that night between them, until Gibbs got back she realized.

She wiped away the few tears that still stained her face and nodded up at him. She asked, "And you will tell me what this is all about, yes?" He nodded down at her and said, "Yes. I promise." She took a deep breath to steady herself and then nodded her assent. They both took a few moments to straighten themselves up. When they were getting ready to leave the conference room Ziva's cell phone began to ring. She looked down at the caller ID and saw that it was McGee. She flicked it open and said, "David." Ziva must have had the phone's volume set to high because he could hear the entire conversation. McGee said, "Ziva where are you? Gibbs is here and we caught a case. Meet us down at the truck." Ziva listened to the conversation her eyes never leaving Tony's. "I will be right down." She said before she hung up the phone. She put the phone back into her pocket and began walking towards the door. As she walked by Tony he grabbed her hand and said, "I am not going to be there to keep an eye on your six. I'm sorry about that. But you have got to be safer now." Ziva scoffed at his remark and said, "I will be fine Tony. I never needed you to watch my back." A slow smile spread on Tony's face and he squeezed her hand a little tighter and said, "Yeah but you knew I had it." She let a small smile cross her features and she said, "I will see you tonight. We have a lot to talk about. Do not think I will have forgotten."

Tony realizing that he was still holding her hand let her go and smiled before she left to head to where the others were waiting for her. Tony scrubbed his hand across his face and thought that that went a lot better than he anticipated. He couldn't hope for anything better especially when it came to Abby. He resigned himself to talk to her tomorrow. Maybe if he told Ziva everything tonight he might possibly have an ally in the upcoming soap opera that NCIS was quickly becoming. He knew things were going to be difficult for awhile but he didn't know it was going to be anything like this. He had expected Ziva to either yell at him or take it stoically and not say a word. The crying had surprised him to no end. And the fact that at first she thought he was talking about his feelings for her? I mean really, if he ever was going to tell her he had feelings for her it would not be in the conference room. He shook his head of the thought of telling her how he felt about her and decided he better get back to see how his new protégé was doing.

Tony left the conference room feeling slightly better now that he had at least one conversation under his belt. He made his way through the bullpen heading back towards where his new desk and probie were waiting. As he turned the corner he stopped and watched Alex for a few minutes. She was absorbed in one of the files that he had given her to look over. He watched her looking for any tells she might have. Occasionally she would bite her lower lip; he guessed when it came to some of the medical terms or technical jargon that pervaded the file. Satisfied for time being he walked down the short aisle that was created by the desks and made his way into his own. He began going through the file he had left up on his computer screen and absently asked, "How is that file going?"

She never took her eyes off of the file and said, "This techno babble gets under my skin but other than that I am getting a good idea about the case." Tony nodded and said, "Good." They worked in silence for a bit longer before Tony looked at his watch and noticed it was past noon. He looked up at his new charge and said, "Hey lunch." She was so absorbed in the file she either didn't hear him or was ignoring him. Neither option Tony liked so he pulled an old trick from the DiNozzo handbook and wadded up a piece of paper and let it fly. It hit Alex in the forehead and she just dropped the file and looked at him with a shocked expression on her face. He smirked and said; "I said lunch." She shook her head and closed the file placed it back on her desk. He mouth hung open for a second before she said, "Did…did you just throw a piece of paper at me?" His smirk turned into a full smile and he said, "Had to get your attention somehow. DiNozzo rule number ten. Always be aware of your surroundings." With that he grabbed his SIG and coat and motioned his head towards the door and said, "C'mon, I'm buying." She shook her head again and turned her chair around to grab her coat but it also prevented him from seeing the smile that she had. She grabbed her coat and folded it over one arm as she stood up and walked with him to the elevator. She turned her head towards him and asked, "Exactly how many rules do you have?" He thought for a moment counting them off in his head and finally said, "I think I am up to about twenty now. My old boss had a lot more but I only kept a few of them and added some of my own." She nodded and took in the information. "Twenty." She thought to herself. Twenty isn't so bad. He saw the small content smile she had on her face and he added, "But I am always thinking up new ones."

With those words uttered the elevator doors opened up and they shuffled inside. Tony pressed the button for the lobby and the elevator began it's decent. She turned to her boss and asked, "And if you are making up new ones how will I know if I broke one or not?" His head quirked to the side and said, "I'll let you know." She didn't let up though and asked, "So how do I know these rules?" He shrugged nonchalantly and said, "You'll learn." Her brow furrowed at this and said, "That's not very comforting." He chuckled and said, "Listen, you learn by doing, listening, and screwing up." She nodded her head slowly and said, "Now that is reaaaly comforting." He smiled down at her and said, "If it makes you feel any better I spent years trying to get my old bosses rules right. Don't worry. When you need to know a rule I will let you know."

She nodded again feeling a little better about the whole rule situation and just decided to take one day at a time with this strange new boss of hers. The director had said that he was one of the agencies best and she would know right. Plus just something about the guy made her feel at ease. If anything she knew that working with him wouldn't be boring.

The elevator doors opened with a ding and the pair walked out into the lobby. Tony turned his head towards Alex as they were walking and said, "We'll take my car. If that's okay with you?" She nodded her assent and followed Tony into the parking lot. Tony fished the keys to his Mustang out of his pocket and pressed the unlock button on his remote. The lights blinked once and the horn sounded. Tony opened up the door and slid into the driver's seat as Alex climbed into the passenger side.

The car ride to the café was quiet considering it was only a ten-minute drive. They sat in a booth that was parallel to the half glass wall that served as the buildings front wall. Tony glanced around the room and noticed that there were a lot of NCIS agents in here taking their lunch. Tony pointed this out to Alex and told her that this is where a lot of the people from the office come for their lunch since it's so close. She took this news in figuring she better get to know the place considering when she got sent out on lunch or dinner runs this would be the place she would go.

Alex perused the menu. Tony didn't have to considering he knew it by heart by now. When the waitress came to their table Tony ordered a club sandwich and an iced tea while Alex ordered a chicken salad with ranch dressing. They sat in companionable silence for a few moments until Tony broke it by asking, "So why did you join NCIS?"

She knew the question was coming eventually. Every job she ever got people always asked her why she chose that job. Oh well, human curiosity. She answered, "Well I took the detectives exam in New York and passed but there wasn't a precinct that had an opening. So I took a detectives spot in DC metro. Worked there a little under a year until cutbacks terminated my position along with a few other detectives. I could have stayed there as a sergeant or try somewhere else. I just tried somewhere else and got hired on." Tony nodded thoughtfully as she went through the story. He picked up on the fact that she really didn't want to talk about it and had probably told the story a few too many times for her liking. He asked, "Got asked that question a lot huh?" She looked at him with an amused bet puzzled question and said, "Yeah. My old lead in Norfolk not to mention the others on my team. How did you know?" Tony shrugged and took a sip of the tea that had recently been placed in front of him. He said, "Well for one it sounded a little rehearsed like you had told the story a few times before. Plus you didn't put any inflection or emphasis on anything in particular and you gave a tiny sigh before you started talking which I put up to as you were bored with telling it. Obvious conclusion you told it a bunch of times and was just being cordial by answering."

She looked at him across the table with a smile. He leaned a little bit across the table and in a stage whisper said, "I am a trained investigator. These things happen." He smiled at her and leaned back into the booth waiting for the food.

While waiting Tony decided to strike up another conversation and asked, "You said your daughter was four right?" Her eyes brightened and her face split into a smile as she answered, "Yup. Jasmine. Turns five in two months." Tony smile at the obvious joy the woman got out of talking about her daughter. "She at school during the day yet or is she still too young?" Tony asked. She shook her head at this and said, "No, she's at my aunts house. She won't start school for another year." Tony nodded his head and silently cursed himself. He should have known at what age's kids go to school. But then again some kids go to school before others. "Her father at work during the day?" Tony asked but instantly regretted it after seeing the flash of anger cross her features. He quickly countered with, "Don't answer that sorry. I am being nosey again." She shook her head at him and said, "No that's alright. I spose since we'll be working together you'll find out eventually. Her father isn't around. Kinda skipped out when he found out I was pregnant my senior year of college." Tony instantly felt like and idiot. He said the only thing that popped into his head, "Sorry." She nodded her head at him again and said, "Don't be. Wouldn't trade my baby for nothing. It was hard but we made it through." Tony smiled at her as their food was delivered. He patted himself on the back knowing he definitely made the right choice when picking his probie. Not only did she have all the right credentials, the girl was tough. She got through her senior year pregnant and still graduated and did all the police work she had while raising a daughter by herself. He had known her for less than a day and he already had a good amount of respect for her.

Over lunch the conversation flowed more freely between the two now that the awkwardness was gone. She found herself opening up more to him and she could not for the life of her figure out why. Well she knew why. It was that damn smile of his and his easygoing nature. They talked about a lot of things, mostly her. He was trying to get to know her and he was well on his way. She told him about her parent's divorce and how one lived in Florida the other in New York and about her brother in Texas and her two sisters in LA.

He got information but it wasn't really anything deep. He asked all the questions and she answered but she began to notice towards the end of their lunch that they were just surface questions. He didn't ask her to go into any detail about anything just simple questions that told him about her but didn't really let him get to know what made her tick. When they were getting ready to leave she questioned him about that. She asked, "You know I noticed all your questions were kinda phrased to get to know about me but not to know me. If that makes any sense." He nodded at her and replied, "All I need to know right now is about you. The getting to know you stuff I think happens over time." She thought about his answer and knew he was right. They needed to know about each other to work together comfortably but knowing one another would take time and it is not the kind of thing you force out of someone over lunch five hours after meeting them.

They made their way back to the office. Alex kept close eye on the directions it would take to get from NCIS to the café, memorizing the route. They got back to their side of the bullpen and began to work again. Once she had familiarized herself with the first file Tony had given her they had bounced ideas off of one another. Tony already had a few good leads that they could follow up on but he wanted to see how her mind worked and he wasn't disappointed. She had come to some of the same conclusions that he had and after two hours of brainstorming they had a few good leads to follow up on tomorrow. It was almost three and since it was her first day Tony thought he would give the new girl a break and let her take the rest of the day off.

He looked over at her from his computer screen and said, "Hey Alex, your first day doesn't officially start until tomorrow and I already feel kinda bad for keeping you here. Go home, we'll get started on this stuff tomorrow. Tomorrow you'll get your SIG issued and I wrote a small list for you." He stood up and crossed the aisle to lay a small piece of paper on her desk. She picked it up and scanned it. She looked up at him with wide eyes and asked, "I am going to need all this stuff?" He nodded down at her and said, "It's just a few things that you're probably going to need at one point in time or another. Plus we might have to pull an all nighter at some point in time so it helps to have stuff here." She shook her head at the list again but after reading through the items a second time she conceded that it would probably be good to have most of the items. She stood up and shrugged on her coat and slipped the paper into her pocket. Tony walked back to his desk and sat down and began typing again. She waved goodbye to him as she passed and he called out to her, "Alex." She stopped and turned around. He pointed towards the files on her desk and said, "Take them home memorized them back to front." She closed her eyes and nodded. Hadn't he told her to memorize them earlier? She should have figured to take them home and study them. She walked back to her desk with an apologetic smile on her face as she picked up the files and began walking again towards the elevator. He called out once again, "Alex." She turned around again wondering what else she forgot when he just smiled at her and said, "Welcome to NCIS." She smiled at him and nodded as she left the bullpen headed for the elevator.

Tony spent a few more hours working at his desk until it was after five. He got a decent amount of work done today and him and Alex could start checking into some of the leads they had uncovered tomorrow. But right now his mind was focused on what was going to happen later on tonight when Ziva came over to have their little talk. He knew it had to be done and now that he thought about he figured it could be a good thing. Not only would it be cathartic to open up to someone besides Ducky and Palmer. Either way it would be an interesting talk. He should buy a bottle of tequila on the way home.


	7. Chapter 7

**Okay fellers here is another chapter for you. I wrote it at four oclock this morning after going out for a friends birthday. Needless to say alot of alcohol had passed my lips before I wrote this. Even now i am suffering from a large hangover and might possibly still be slightly affected by the booze, just so you know my proofreading isn't the best and i don't know if this chapter will be any good or not but i will let you decide. Thank you all for the reviews. Enjoy.**

Tony was pacing back and forth in front of his couch waiting for the tell tale ding of his intercom, waiting for Ziva's voice to come over the speakers announcing her arrival at his building. His mind had been racing a mile a minute since he left the office. What would he tell her? Would he lay it all on the line or just tell her the bare facts?

He had been waiting for two hours for her to show up. He had called central dispatch and he knew that team Gibbs had left the crime scene already.

Tony sank into the comfort of his couch ready to hear the shrill chirp of his intercom. He had already had three beers to try to ease the tension he would have talking to the woman who had had such a clear and evident affect on his mental state. He had thought he was falling for her but the way she had reacted earlier that day when he was trying to tell her he left the team had somewhat dimmed that particular prospect in his mind. When she thought he was talking about him and her she seemed to have a clear mind on what she would say and that did kind of temper his thoughts towards her, besides If she just thought of them as friends he was not going to make her life more difficult than it already was by professing his feelings towards her.

Although as he thought about the many different directions tonight's conversation might go he would have to have something on the backburner if it went that direction. He was beyond the fact of hiding it from her especially now that he wasn't under Gibbs's particular set of rules anymore. Now that they were both under regular NCIS guidelines the dating thing would not be as big of an issue. But still doubt clogged his mind. He had a thing for her yes, there was no denying that fact. But as to whether she felt anything for him was another story.

(Ziva's Point of View)

It was eleven thirty at night but she knew he would still be up. He had never once disappointed her. He had told her they would talk tonight and therefore he would be waiting until she showed up. The case that day had taken quite a lot longer than she had anticipated but she still knew that know matter what her partner, whether he was gone or not, would be there for her. He always was. If she wanted him to be or not he was always there. He had been there for her when a few cases had hit too close to home for her liking. He had shown up at her door without acknowledgment and not really forced her to deal with it but made her more comfortable by providing something she could deal with instead. And that by itself had endeared her to the man.

She had no idea as to why Tony had left the team but she was determined to find out why. He had seemed so happy that Gibbs was back at the beginning. She had noticed certain changes in the man she had come to know as a friend and confidant since Gibbs had left though. But in her mind all of the changes were a good thing. But something was off most certainly. She couldn't quite place her finger on it but she knew deep down that something was wrong.

She sighed to herself as she stood in front of Tony's door. It was way past time for a normal visit and she knew that she had to be at work early in the morning but this was a conversation that she could not put off for long. Too many things were weighing upon her mind. At the crime scene today she had a hard time concentrating. From the questions and grumblings of McGee as to why Tony wasn't there to help to the extra work that she had to do due to Tony's absence she had had enough and the only thing that would satisfy her now were honest answers. And from their conversation earlier today she knew that no matter what Tony would give them to her.

She stood up to her full potential and knocked lightly on the door in front of her. She looked down one section of the hall then the other wondering if the surveillance of her was still present since her meeting with the Israeli Officer Bashan. She took quick stock of the area and noticed no real threats so she knocked again.

(Tony's POV again)

A tapping noise broke Tony from his reverie. He knew in a moment who it was. Only his ninja would bypass the buzzer that was connected to the entrance to his apartment complex only to knock on his door.

Tony took a deep breath as he stood from the couch and walked to the door. He grasped the handle of the door and held it for a second as he braced himself for the conversation that followed.

He opened the door only to see a disheveled Ziva standing in the hallway. She looked like she had been through hell. Her hair was all mussed up, which he concluded only, made her look sexier, and he concluded that whatever case they had been sent out on today was not run of the mill.

Once the door was halfway opened and he saw her disheveled state he opened it up all the way and leaned against the door. He looked her over from head to toe and took in the despondent feeling she radiated and said, "Come on in."

She took no time and silently crossed the threshold into his apartment. As soon as he had closed the door she turned to him and said, "Tony, I am in no mood for any games tonight. He have to talk."

Tony breathed deeply and simply led her to one of the twin lazy boy recliners he had in his living room. He asked her, "Do you want a beer or anything before we start. I mean no offense Ziva, but you look like you could use some booze right about now." He cast a small smile at her that he knew she would recognize as buying for time.

She leaned back into the recliner and said, "A beer would be good. Thank You." Tony nodded at her and went into the open kitchen to retrieve two beers from the fridge. When he walked back into the living room and twisted the top off of her beer and handed it to her. He watched as she took a long pull off of the beverage before placing it on the small coffee table in front of her. Tony followed suit and took a long pull off of his own beer before sitting taking a seat on the sofa closest to where she was sitting. After savoring the momentary reprieve that the alcohol provided he placed the bottle on the table next to hers.

They sat there for a few moments just looking at each other. Both knowing that no matter what words passed between them that no matter what things from this point on would be different.

Ziva looked down at her hands that were clasped between her knees and asked in a small voice, " You said you were different now." She looked at him to measure the reaction her words would have. She continued, "What makes you so different from last week that you have to leave?"

Tony looked down and stared at his beer. A few drops of condensation were starting to appear on it as he answered, "A lot of things." Ziva returned her gaze to her hands and replied, "That is not an answer Tony."

Tony took a deep breath and said, "Ziva, everyone has what they want now. There is no reason for me to stand in the way of that." Ziva slowly raised her head from her hands and focused her gaze on Tony. He had not raised his eyes from the bottle in front of him when she asked, "And what is it that we want Tony?"

A sad smile spread across Tony's lips as he regarded his bottle. Without looking up at her he said, "Gibbs. You all wanted Gibbs."

Ziva leaned forward in her seat and placed an hand on Tony's shoulder and asked, "Is that what this is about? Tony, nothing has changed. We are a team again. Gibbs leads and we follow. It is like it was before he left."

Tony leaned back into the comfort of his couch nonchalantly shrugging off the hand that Ziva placed on his shoulder. His eyes wandered to the beautiful face seated across from him and he asked, "What if we don't want to go back to the way it was? What if I don't want to be the same guy I was before he left?"

Ziva shook her head and looked down at the coffee table and said, "I do not know why you would not want to. You were always so happy back then. You were without the responsibility of the team. You had at least some free time. You had your women. It is what every man dreams of yes?"

Tony placed his elbow on the arm of the couch he was sitting on and placed his fingers on his temple and he said, "I guess back then I thought of it as a good thing." Tony leaned forward and picked up his beer from the table and began to peel along its edges where the condensation had made the label pliable.

Ziva's eyes stole down to Tony's hands working on the malleable paper and asked, "You do not think of it as a good thing now?"

Tony slammed his beer back onto the table making a small amount shoot out of the top and landing on the table making a frothy testament to his anger. He said, "No Ziva I don't. You and everyone else might not have seen it but I have grown up at least a little bit."

Ziva eyed the spilt beer on the table and muttered, "Clearly." Tony heard her words and stood up. He paced back and forth between the coffee table and the couch and said, "You know what? Screw you David!"

Ziva sat there not quite sure of what to do. Tony had never yelled at her before. At least not in the capacity that he was now. She thought to herself that she had annoyed and angered him before but never to this extent. The worse thing is she did not know exactly what she said to make him mad in the first place. She had numerously made fun of his frat boy antics but never had he taken it this personally before.

As Tony paced in front of the couch he started his rant and asked, "I guess it doesn't matter if my life went to hell huh?" When all he received was Ziva's blank face he continued, "So what if I spend every night for two months trying to get Abby to smile. So what if I take her to every concert she has ever wanted to see. Oh and who cares if Tony breaks a collar bone in a mosh pit just to see Abby show some sign of life?"

Ziva was now too taken with Tony's line of thought to even utter a comment back. Again he began to speak more to himself than her, "I guess it doesn't matter that I spent almost three years trying to toughen McGee up. I guess it doesn't matter now that almost anything that happens with a suspect he can handle it. Oh no DiNozzo, McGee can let anything a suspect says roll off his back without the slightest hurt feeling had nothing to do with you. And I guess when Gibbs left I didn't go out of my way to help him break in the new girl either. I spose I could have let him feel like he was the low man on the totem pole forever huh? I guess I could have let him go to the shooting range and take those self-defense courses by himself to let him know that he was alone out there huh?"

After Tony finished ranting on McGee he cast a look at Ziva and became silent. He sat down on his couch and took a long pull off of his beer. They sat there is complete silence. Tony was ashamed that all that was bottled up came out in such a way and Ziva was trying to process the words that he had said.

Ziva took in his words and was still confused by them. Yes Tony had gone out of his way to help the team but she could not understand why he had to quit them. She had thought that he would want to be around more the see them flourish more under his influence as well as Gibbs's now that he was back. Another thought occurred to her as she was processing his anger induced bout of truth. He had talked about Abby and McGee but where did she fit into his ideals. He had mentioned that he had helped both out but never once mentioned her. This thought confused her. He had indeed had a large impact on her life. Through trying to see life through Tony's eyes she had seen the delight by living life to it's fullest. She had taken the steps to attempt to build friendships where when she worked for Mossad all she had was aquaintances and contacts. Here she had friends and through some weird chain of events Tony had wormed his way into her heart and had taken up a permanent residence there. Did he not think that he had influenced her in at least some way over Gibbs's absence or did he not think of her at all? She could not quite place it but that same eerie gut feeling she had earlier that day made it's way back into her stomach as she pondered that question. Saving her question for later she chose to focus on the things he seemed to be zeroing in on. He had mentioned all of the things he had helped McGee and Abby with but she wondered if he knew how much he would hurt them by his leaving so she asked, "Tony, how do you think they will react to you leaving? After all you have said you have done for them, what do you think they will do?"

Tony regarded her coolly for a moment and said, "It doesn't matter anymore." Again the confused expression crossed her face and she demanded, "Tony! Tell me what is going on! If you meant what you said earlier about us always being partners no matter who we are assigned to, I need to know what you are saying."

Tony leaned forward and placed his elbows on his knees. His hands reached up to hide his face from her as he thought about whether to reveal everything to her or not. In the end he figured that if he really wanted to keep her in his life whether as a friend or anything more than that this was the time for perfect honesty.

Even though the palms of his hands filtered his words he said, "You all wanted Gibbs. I did everything I could do but you still wanted him."

Ziva could feel the feeling of failure radiating off of him but had no words to console him. She reached out her hand to place it on his shoulder but when her hand was about to make contact with him he uttered the word, "No." to her. She pulled her hand back resolute to hear all of his words to fully understand what pain he was putting himself through imaginary or not.

Once Ziva had pulled her hand back from the pity that Tony thought she was showing him he continued, "I just don't get it. He abandoned all of us. He left with no explanation. Granted I spose in that circumstance no explanation was needed but still. Everyone was in hell pretty much. We had no great leader to fall in behind. Abby was a mess. Even though he told McGee he was a good agent I don't think McGee believed it. You and him had your little moment where he said he owed you and you said you would collect." He paused for a moment and asked, "You know what he said to me when he left?"

He waited for a moment until he was sure no answer was forthcoming and said, "He told me I would do."

He scoffed and continued, "No, you can lead them or your ready just I would do." Tony shook his head at the memory. 'You"ll do". Those words would fly through his memory on a daily basis. Not enough to acknowledge that you were believed in but enough to let you know that you couldn't mess up as much as someone pulled in off of the street.

Ziva was starting to get an idea as to where Tony's train of thought was leading him. She said, "You were a good leader Tony." Tony scoffed at her and got up off of the couch to go look out his living room window at the streetlights that were casting their orange haze through the window. He turned his head towards her and asked, "If I was such a good leader why were you all asking for Gibbs when things turned south? I was a cheap imitation nothing more." Tony refocused his attention out the window at a couple of kids running down the sidewalk to make it home in time for curfew and said, "You know Ziva, I thought we were all a team. You , me, Abby, McGee, Ducky and even Palmer. We were the original team. After he left I did the best I could. I tried to get Abby back to herself, and it worked. The last two months she was getting over being abandoned and was back to being her old self. But still every time I walked in that damn lab I saw his face on every screen."

Tony turned his face towards his kitchen across from his living room without even glancing at Ziva and continued, "McGee withdrew into himself and forgot how good of an agent he could be. With a little bit of help he finally started to get how good he really was. I didn't give him the computer assignments unless I had to and made him rely more on his field skills. Helped him with his guns and self-defense. Tried to help him feel a little more in control by antagonizing Lee."

Tony leaned up against the wall next to the windows and slowly began to slide down it. A quick thought entered his mind about how he wanted to tell Ziva what was going on in his head but he didn't think it would be as chick flicky as it was coming out. He pushed that to the side and said, "I tried and failed to be what everyone needed. Now Gibbs is back and like you said earlier it's just like it used to be."

Tony sent his gaze in Ziva's direction and said, "Abby just plain forgot all the pain she went through. She feels like some kid's whose parents got divorced and she thought it was her fault but now it's all better because daddy came home again. McGee went back to being the agent who is always second guessing himself wondering when the big foot of his boss is gonna drop on him and he's gonna get sent down into cyber crimes or some such nonsense."

Ziva sat in contemplation for a moment before she carefully asked the question, "So you are not mad that Gibbs is back, you are mad how we are acting now that he is back?"

A small smile graced Tony's face as he thought of his next words. He formulated his words carefully in his mind before he said, "It's not that he's back. You wanted the best so I am glad you have the best. I am mad because of all the strides we made together as a team without him seems to have gone to the wayside. Like you said everything is the same as it was before he left. I won't deal with that. Everyone else might not want to think that but I know for a fact that I will not go back to that."

Ziva thinking that they may have taken a turning point in the conversation reached out and took another pull off of the beer that had sat there after her first drink off of it. Feeling that she had better knowledge of what Tony was thinking now she asked, "And what had changed you so much that you will not work for him? He was you're hero it seemed."

Tony picked himself up off of the floor and retook his placed on the couch and reached forward to grab the bottle of beer that had half of it's label missing and said, "Yeah well first off you have to have respect for you're hero's. I lost that the day he quit. Once the hero thing went out the window you kind of see who he really is. It might sound shallow but I am not going to work for a man who's really only means of encouragement is either intimidation by staring at you or berating you in front of your colleagues."

Tony shook his head as he chugged down the last of his beer. He turned to Ziva as he placed the now empty bottle back on the table and said, "I don't know how to explain it. The few day's I worked with him now that he was back it felt like I was a probie again. He kept reminding us on how to do our jobs like we didn't do anything while he was on vacation. I don't mind a headslap if I am being out of line but it seemed like he did it just to prove the point that he still could. I guess I was just tired of being Gibbs's whipping boy."

Ziva nodded her head at Tony letting him know that she had noticed that what she thought were small abuses that Gibbs was taking with Tony but now knowing they were much larger on one side at least.

Ziva also finished her beer and placed it on the table and asked, "So, you took the lead over another team because you think the team has reverted and forgotten you and Gibbs is not showing you the respect you think you deserve?"

Tony furrowed his brow as he thought about her question. There was certain logic to it but it didn't quite grasp what he was thinking. He finally figured beating around the bush was getting him nowhere. He had to let her know exactly how he felt. Something that would let her know how betrayed he felt. He would tell her exactly what he was thinking since Gibbs came back whether she agreed with it or not, at least she would listen.

Tony reached over and grabbed Ziva's chin with his forefinger and thumb and gently pulled her face up to meet his. He looked her straight in the eye and in a broken voice said, "He took my family away." Ziva took in the words and some of the meaning but wanted to hear more and she nodded her head for him to continue. Without breaking eye contact he said, "I don't know if you'll understand this but I'll try. When Gibbs came back he took Abby. Not literally. But the Abby I came to know. The Abby who worked through her heartache and came out stronger and more caring for those around her than she was before."

He continued with, "He took McGee. Again not literally, but the McGee I watched flourish without him around. The confident agent who only took crap from me and no one else. The agent who glued Lee's hands to her keyboard and had to have Palmer come up and help her out. The agent who never second guessed himself and always had the right answer whether he knew it or not."

He took a deep breath and repeated the words he had told Gibbs in the elevator. He said, "He didn't take them. He took who they had become and reconciled them to being who they were before, even after all the large steps we made together. He took my family."

After hearing Tony's speech her mind instantly clicked into what he was saying. She had noticed the team dynamic was the way it used to be but never thought of that as a bad thing. Now that Tony had shared his point of view with her she could see the obvious failings that the team had endured on the last case. Things that McGee would have told Tony went unsaid until Tony brought it to the attention of Gibbs. Abby not having anything to report after two hours she would have joked about with Tony holding the reigns not brought a shimmer to her eyes that she didn't have anything to give Gibbs in his pursuits.

Again she thought too earlier in their conversation. The thought that Tony had only talked about McGee and Abby. What of her? What trouble had she caused the man that she had considered her best friend?

With a shaky voice she asked, "What of me Tony? You have talked of Abby and McGee but you have not said anything on what I have done."

Tony pinched the bridge of his nose and replied, "Your different Ziva." Not satisfied by his answer she asked, "And what does that mean? How am I different?"

Tony stood up and walked towards his large entertainment center. When he reached it he placed both hands down flat upon the wooden surface and said, "You just are. Your different."

After hearing these words Ziva was beyond irritated. She had gotten him to open up on so many things tonight she had to finish with him. Call it Mossad training push and push and push until you get and answer. But this was beyond a mission. This was someone she had let into her life, something she did not do often. She needed him to answer her, not only for his benefit but also for hers.

She stood up from the recliner she had been sitting on for the duration of the conversation so far and angrily stomped up behind him. She forcefully grabbed him by the arm and tried to spin him to face her as she angrily asked, "Why am I different? You say your family has been broken, am I not part of your family then?"

Tony refused to be spun around by her as she began to ask the question but by the end he turned around by himself and yelled, "No, your not!"

Ziva looked up at him stunned. She had come to think of the people at NCIS as her family and she had thought that Tony had felt the same way. She knew that he had had a troubled childhood and from his earlier statement she thought that the same was true for him as for her. That the coworkers at NCIS had formed some sort of surrogate family that they could rely on. Before she could process anymore information his next words stunned her.

Tony looked her straight in the eye and said, "Your more." With that he tromped into his kitchen and grabbed a bottle of whiskey from a shelf next to his refrigerator and a glass from the rack next to his sink.

He poured himself a full glass and began to take a full drink at a time.

The words swam through Ziva's mind. "Your more". What exactly was Tony trying to say in those words? She followed Tony into the kitchen and tried to ask a question but her mouth refused to work. She opened and closed her mouth several times with questions on the tip of her tongue but never having the right of way to make into coherent messages.

Tony noticed her discomfort and decided he might as well lay everything on the line all at once. He asked her, "Ziva, since I took over as team lead how many dates have I been on?"

Ziva's mind was sluggish from trying to comprehend his meaning by his earlier words but somehow managed to sort through the last few months to try and attempt a figure. The problem was she couldn't think of an instance within that time that he had told her of a date that he had been on which was unusual for Tony. She gave him the only answer she could think of, "I do not know."

Tony took another long pull off of his whiskey and said, "Fifteen. Pretty sure she never thought of them that way but I know I did. Ever since I met her every woman I meet I compare to her and no one come even close."

Ziva's mind ran calculations compared to what he had said of her earlier. She was more. Then the dating thing. He hadn't said anything about his dates since Gibbs left. Four months. Four weeks per month. 16 weeks. Her and Tony had spent every Wednesday together for sixteen weeks. Except for last week when she was out with Abby buying a welcome home present for Gibbs. He thought of their time together as dates?

Her mind was racing beyond belief. Her mossad trained mind was able to think of several things at once but this revelation had rendered her mind useless. She could only get a basic sentence out and it was, "Tony I,…"

Tony seemed to anticipate this response and said, "That's why I never mentioned you tonight. I know you don't feel the same way about me as I do for you, and that's ok. I spent too many years trying to find miss right now and not miss right. Just goes to show how bad I suck at it because the minute I do find what I think is miss right she can kill me with her pinky or office supplies it I make her mad."

Tony let a sad smile grace his face as he took in Ziva's bewildered expression. He said, "Don't be so surprised. I always thought you were beautiful and you knew that. Since we started to work together I have started to like you probably more than I should. When Gibbs left we spent a lot of time together and I let you in more than I ever have anyone else. In part I think it was because I had the 'my partner' excuse but I have come to realize it is more than that."

He continued staring into her brown eyes as he said, "For four months me and you broke down walls. We became more than partners in my book. Probably not in yours but still. We tore walls down together and have shared more than anyone knows about either of us. That's kinda what hurt the most. The moment Gibbs stepped off that elevator I saw all those walls pop back up into place. I don't know what the deal is between you two and I don't care. Maybe it's because you were both there when Ari died and because of that you think that you two are connected somehow. But you and me had a connection that was not based on death. And from you have told me of yourself that doesn't happen for you."

Gibbs and Ziva's secrets ran through her mind. She knew what Tony was talking about. Throughout her life as an agent of Mossad most people she knew and considered friends had death connected to them in some way. Thinking about it the friends she had made and NCIS were the only ones in too long that were friends for no ulterior motive. Only Gibbs and Jenny shared secrets with her. Everyone else here took her as she was and she knew that if Tony knew the things that she had done in her earlier life he would still be her friend no matter how bad it was. But he had these feelings for her.

She had thought earlier that day that he was going to announce his feelings for her and she felt flattered but she knew they could never engage in a relationship with Gibbs's rules. But now that Tony was free of those rules did her mind change any? The worst feeling in the world she thought was not knowing what your heart says of someone. She liked being around him and he always made her life interesting. He was good to look at and all but was it something more than friends? She had no idea, which scared her. If it was a simple no she would know what to do. Not knowing was scary.

Putting this new information in the back of her mind for now she decided to change topics altogether. She asked, "So you asked for a new position?" She tried to keep the nerves from her voice.

Tony seemed to sense her unease and decided to go with her. He said, "No, the director offered me a team lead in Rota, Spain. I turned it down because I was not going to pull a Gibbs and abandon my friends. She offered me a different position here in D.C. as a team lead for cold cases and I took it."

She tore her eyes from his and cast it down at the floor and asked, "So what do we do now Tony?"

Tony finished the glass of whiskey he had poured himself and said, "I don't know. If you're satisfied with my reasons for leaving I was thinking we could order a pizza." Tony smirked at her.

Tony's confession as to his feelings about her rattled inside her head. She now understood why Tony had taken the other position and actually applauded him on it. She had thought back to all the times that the team, her included, had said or wished that Gibbs had lead the team instead of Tony. And she finally realized all that Tony had done for them whether they realized it or not. Tony deserved more. It amazed Ziva that the director had seen Tony's potential while the rest of the team went unaware. She had to sort out what she was feeling for Tony though. Whether good or bad he had at least let her know how he felt. She could at least do the same. But there was time enough for that tomorrow.

She smiled up at Tony and leaned up against the counter top and said, "Pepperoni and Sausage."


	8. Chapter 8

**Okay first off i want to thank all of you for your great reviews. Secondly a big thank you to Ookamimaster for the reminder. I had this done up until the Gibbs/Ziva conversation where I got the dreaded writers block. But i wanted to get a chapter out so I pushed through. Don't know if i like how it came out but this is how it did. Hope you all enjoy and no this is not beta'd so all mistakes are mine and i take full credit for them. **

**N/A: Don't own NCIS or else Semper Fidelis would have been extremely different.**

Tony and Ziva sat on his couch in front of the leftover crusts of a pizza and seven empty beer bottles. They ate and drank while talking although most of the serious stuff had been discussed before dinner. Their conversations now were lighter and held the friendship that they had grown to enjoy over the last few months. The one thing they didn't discuss though was Tony's confession about his feelings towards her. Ziva was very glad about that. She was a little perturbed at the thought that he had these feelings for her and she had not noticed and she had no idea as to how she felt towards him. There was definitely friendship between them and Tony was nice to look at but if there was anything more to her feelings than that she didn't know. And she was happy not to talk about it.

After a few moments of the only sound being either of them taking small sips off of their beers Ziva turned to Tony and said, "I understand why you have done this Tony. And I am not mad at you for it."

Tony looked at her and with a small smile said, "I am glad to hear you say that. I hid all the paperclips before you came over just in case this didn't go too well."

A small chuckle escaped her lips and she playfully smacked his arm as she said, "I would not have needed a paperclip Tony."

They both smiled at her comment. Both glad to be getting back on familiar territory and banter. After a few seconds of silence she leaned forward and placed her half-empty beer on the table and said, "I do wonder though what McGee and Abby will say?" She turned to look at Tony and as expected his smile vanished.

She said, "I do not want to make you feel bad Tony but do you think they will just let this lay?"

A small smile slipped onto his face involuntarily as he said, "Let it lie. Not lay." He took a deep breath and said, "I guess I will figure it out tomorrow when I tell them. We can only go from there." He looked at her and shrugged his shoulders. She nodded at him and knew he was right. She said, "We can cross that…bridge…when we get there." She looked at him with questioning eyes and he nodded to her indicating that she got her idiom correct and she smiled.

She looked down at her watch and noticed it was late. She said, "It is getting late and I should be getting home. I am already going to miss my morning run." She stood and walked to the door followed closely by Tony. She opened the door and turned to say goodbye but ran into his chest. She looked up at him in that awkward moment until Tony wrapped his arms around her in a gentle hug. It felt foreign and strange to Ziva. Not an Abby bone-crushing hug and not an I am here for you hug, but just a hug, a simple gesture between friends. She liked it.

She stepped out of the hug and looked up at him and said, "I will see you around the bullpen."

Tony reached out and ruffled her hair and said, "Of that you can count on."

* * *

When the door to the elevator opened the next morning Ziva was instantly pushed back in by McGee and Gibbs. She turned a curious look to McGee and he said, "Abby's got something for us. Your timing's good." Gibbs snorted and said, "If her timing was good she wouldn't have been five minutes late would she?" Ziva opened her mouth to say something but she thought better of it. Obviously Gibbs was still on edge from Tony leaving and her telling him she had a long night of beer and pizza with Tony would not help her case.

The doors opened and all three walked into Abby's lab. The perky Goth had just shut off the music before they walked in. It seemed strange that this early in the morning she would be turning the music off instead of just turning it on for the day.

Ziva asked, "No music today Abby?" Abby turned to face her and Ziva noticed the bags under her eyes. Abby had a ghost of a smile on her face and said; "Boss man wanted answers as soon as I could get them so I stayed all night. Am going home after I tell you all what I got."

"And what exactly do we have Abby?" Gibbs asked not really seeming to care she was there all night working for him. Abby quickly made her way to stand in front of her computer and after a couple of keystrokes an image popped up on the screen. The picture was a drivers license photo of a man in his early thirties with dark hair. "Charles Ryan Bourne. It was his DNA under the vic's fingernails." Gibbs nodded and continued to read from the screen. Abby for the first time really looked around the room and asked, "Where's Tony? I was expecting some sort of Bourne Identity reference?" Comprehension dawned on McGee's face and said, "Yeah Boss. He didn't help us at all yesterday either."

A flash of anger crossed Gibbs's features and he spat out the words, "He quit."

McGee's mouth dropped open and a look of pure shock registered on his face. Abby's mouth as well dropped but she quickly regained her faculties and said, "What?" Her voice rose steadily as she talked and continued, "He quit? Why would he quit? This is like his favorite job ever. He loves it here. He wouldn't quit. Right?"

Ziva had never taken her eyes off of Gibbs and she wondered why he made it sound the way he did. When it was clear that Gibbs was not going to elaborate more on the topic she figured she owed it to Tony to defend him and to stop Abby from losing her mind.

Ziva looked at Abby and said, "Tony did not quit Abby. He took a promotion the director offered him."

Gibbs glared at Ziva and McGee was the first to speak. His eyes traveled from Gibbs's icy eyes to Ziva and he asked, "So…Tony didn't quit? He still works for NCIS?" Ziva nodded her head at him and said, "Yes. The director formed a small team to take over a majority of the cold cases. Tony is the head of that team until a different position opens up here."

Gibbs stared hard at Ziva and asked, "How do you know what he's doing?" Ziva simply shrugged her shoulders and said, "We talked last night." She met Gibbs eyes and did not move her attention away until Abby asked, "Why didn't he tell us?" Ziva turned her head to meet Abby and let a reassuring smile grace her face and said, "He was going to tell you and McGee today but…" She turned her head back to Gibbs as she said the last part.

Gibbs sent her a piercing glare before he said, "Officer David. Elevator." With that he turned his back on his three subordinates and strode to the elevator to await Ziva. Ziva tipped her head back and rolled her eyes and followed behind Gibbs as McGee and Abby turned to look at each other.

* * *

Jimmy Palmer just exited the stairs on his way to the lab. He was muttering angrily to himself why of all places in this building, Agent Gibbs decided to use the elevator as his personal office.

He walked into the lab and saw Abby and McGee talking quietly to each other. He cleared his throat and when both sets of eyes turned upon him he held up a specimen jar and said, "The bullets that Dr. Mallard pulled from Petty Officer Daniels."

Abby angrily walked up to Jimmy and took the jar and set it on the table and grabbed the chain of evidence clipboard forcefully from his hands. Jimmy could tell that she was angry about something and took a step back from her. She pinned him with her version of the Gibbs stare and pointed a finger at him. She loudly said, "You gonna leave next too Jimmy?" Jimmy took another step back and stuttered, "Wha…wha…Abby…"

McGee stepped up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders and started to slowly pull her away from Palmer saying, "Abby. Abby. Just because Tony left doesn't mean that anyone else is going to."

Palmer's face set into a confused one and said, "Tony didn't leave. He took a promotion. I just saw him a few minutes ago down in autopsy." Abby and Tim both looked up at him. Abby asked him in a shocked voice, "You knew?"

Palmer's face was still a mask of confusion as he said, "Yeah, he came to talk to me and Dr. Mallard last week about it. Asked our advice." Abby took a threatening step towards him. She knew she would never do anything to him but he was easily intimidated. She asked, "What did you tell him Jimmy?"

The confused look on his face slipped and was replaced by a stoic one. He said, "I told him I thought he should take the promotion. Dr. Mallard thought so as well."

Abby's face contorted into anger and her voiced raised to shouting level as she asked, "Why would you tell him that Palmer?" Jimmy tried to keep his stoic face but was not used to Abby yelling, especially at him. But then his mind flashed to all the pain that he could tell Tony was in and it firmed his resolve. He wanted to say all the things that had irritated him about how his friends had treated Tony but knew that wouldn't help. He let out a deep sigh and decided on a partial truth. He said, "Well I could tell Tony wasn't happy and thought it would do him some good."

Abby began to shake her head and said, "What are you talking about? Tony is happy." McGee cut in and said, "Well actually Abby, Tony has seemed a little different since Gibbs got back." Abby whirled on her five-inch platforms to face McGee and said, "What are you talking about? Gibbs is back, of course Tony is happy." McGee's face had a not so convinced look on it as he said, "Well, Gibbs coming back did get Tony demoted." Abby was about to unleash a wicked tongue lashing on McGee but instead she took a step back from McGee and put her arms close to her chest as she took a few deep breaths to calm herself. After a few moments she took a few steps back so she had both Palmer and Tim in her sights and said, "None of this matters."

McGee's confused expression crossed his features again and asked himself how she could go from angry and arguing one second to calm and happy the next. He asked her, "Why doesn't any of this matter?"

Abby gave both of the men a wide smile and said, "Cause Gibbs is back." Palmer rolled his eyes at her, turned and walked out of the room while McGee said, "So…" Abby smiled sweetly at McGee and walked up to him and lightly tapped the side of his face with her hand and said, "Gibbs is a fixer. He'll fix this."

* * *

The elevator came to an abrupt halt as the running lights went out and the emergency lights kicked in bathing the small area in a bluish tint. Ziva leaned up against one side of the elevator waiting for Gibbs to begin whatever he had planned. A minute passed in silence and Ziva sighed heavily.

Gibbs asked, "So what's going on?" Ziva turned her head to look at him waiting for him to continue. When he didn't she asked, "With what?" Gibbs glared for a second before averting his eyes and said, "DiNozzo. What's going on between you and DiNozzo?"

Ziva's eyes narrowed and she shook her head as she asked, "What do you mean?" Gibbs snorted and said, "You two. Always arguing and fighting. I leave for a little while and come back and you two are all buddy buddy and hanging out after shift and talking."

Ziva did not like where this conversation was heading. First Tony's admission of his feelings towards her and now Gibbs seemed to think that there was more going on than there was. She was getting angry at his assumption and decided to let him know it. Annoying him seemed to be a good option. She picked her words wisely and she said, "What does it matter what my and Tony's relationship is?"

Gibbs eyes narrowed and he said, "So you are dating." Ziva just shook her head at him and said, "We are not dating! We are friends. We talk about things. Last night I went to his place and we talked about his promotion."

Gibbs seemed to relax when she said they weren't dating but then a gleam came into his eye. He asked, "He tell you why he quit?" Ziva threw her hands up in the air and yelled, "He did not quit! Why do you keep telling people that he did?" She turned herself back to him and he did not say anything. She took a moment to calm down knowing that no answer would be coming her way. She decided to answer his question even though he did not answer hers. She said, "Yes. He told me why he took the promotion."

He asked, "What did he tell you?" Ziva locked her eyes with his and said, "Everything." Gibbs eyes narrowed into slits as he asked, "You gonna blame me for everything wrong in your life too?" She cocked her head to the side and thought about how to answer him. Obviously he was referring to his and Tony's fight in the elevator. Tony had blamed everyone's recent behavior on Gibbs. She would not go down that road. She could see that not all of this was his fault, although a majority of the blame could be laid there for his actions against Tony and the others. Forcing them to revert I guess would be the easiest way to describe it. But Tony had gone after Gibbs for it. He had not seen that everyone else had allowed it to happen, even her. Tony was the only one who saw what was happening and refused to let himself fall into it.

Ziva said, "No. I will let the blame fall where it should. On all of us." Gibbs snorted and shook his head. He turned back to the button panel of the elevator and flipped the emergency switch off. The elevator kicked into life and began it's ascent up to the bullpen. Before the doors opened he turned to Ziva and asked, "Am I gonna have a problem with you hanging around DiNozzo?" Ziva said, "Only if you make it one." He glared at her disapprovingly making it obvious he wanted her to stay away from him. In a quiet voice he said, "We won't have this conversation again."

Thinking she got the subtle threat behind his words he turned to leave the elevator but Ziva shot her hand out and grabbed his shoulder. She turned him to face her. In her mind nothing Gibbs said would make her abandon her closest friend. She fixed a piercing glare at the older man and said, "No. I will be a friend with whomever I want. And you are right. We will not have this conversation again." With that she walked out of the elevator and headed to her desk.

* * *

Twenty minutes later Ziva was furiously typing on her keyboard. McGee had just sat down at his desk and was wondering why every time someone went into the elevator with Gibbs both came out extremely angry.

He decided not to bring this to Ziva's attention at the moment and began to move his belongings once again to Tony's old desk.

His mind was pretty much set on the fact that he was senior field agent again. And with that came a junior field agent. He was wondering who would replace him. He thought maybe that Lee would get put back on the team since she had been working with him and Ziva for the last few months. It would make sense and he still had a few practical jokes that him and Tony had come up with, to play on her. But his mind drifted to the new agent he had met the other day. Granted he had made a clumsy pass at her and when he helped fix her computer it was a little awkward. But he thought that he would like to make a better impression. And if she got transferred to the team, she would see him as a capable senior field agent who could help her acclimate to NCIS life.

This all was running through his mind as he moved desks. It was quick work considering that most of his stuff was still packed from when he had to move back to his old desk. He went to open his bottom right hand drawer to check if he had placed anything in it. Usually he did not use that drawer but he figured a quick check wouldn't hurt. He had almost closed it again until he realized that he had seen a small lock box. He pulled it out of the drawer and set it on top of the desk and saw that the keys were in the keyhole. Taking a quick glance around thinking that this could be one of Tony's last pranks to pull on his junior agent, he slowly turned the key and opened the lid.

He expected fake snakes or confetti to come flying out at him so he leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. When nothing came flying out at him he opened one eye and glanced at the now open container. He recognized a few of the boxes so he opened both eyes and sifted through the boxes. Then he finally realized what this box was when he opened one of the smaller boxes inside and saw a medal. This was the box that Tony had kept all of Gibbs's medals and award's in.

In that moment McGee knew that no matter what Abby said about Gibbs fixing things, that Tony was never coming back to the team.

* * *

Ziva watched as McGee began to transfer his desk to Tony's. Then she remembered that Tony had yet to talk to Abby and McGee and he did not know that they already knew about his transfer. She looked around her immediate area and did not spot Gibbs anywhere. Actually she had not seen him since their fight in the elevator. Knowing that Gibbs was not around she decided she should tell Tony what had transpired down in the lab. As for the fight she figured that could wait until they were out of the office if she decided to share that information with him.

She got up from her desk and began to walk towards where she thought Tony's new desk was. She began to walk down the farthest aisle but she did not see Tony anywhere and she could not tell which desk was his. Obviously he had not had enough time to set up his desk the way he liked it.

She was about to turn around and check a different aisle until she heard a voice ask, "Officer David? You looking for something?" Ziva turned around and only then did she notice Probationary Agent Domingues. Ziva internally berated herself. She had known that Domingues had been assigned to Tony and if anyone knew where he was it would be her.

She closed the few feet between them and said, "Actually yes I am. Do you know where Agent DiNozzo is?" Alex brightened and said, "Yeah, he should be back any minute. Went to get sugar with some coffee in it he said." Ziva chuckled and nodded her head. She said, "Yes. I do not know how he manages to drink it." Ziva put a serious expression on her face and said, "You should be warned though." Alex's face turned cautious and she asked, "Why?" Ziva smiled down at the new agent and said, "After one of those he will dribbling off of the walls."

Alex's cautious expression turned to one of confusion and she asked, "Dribbling?" Ziva understood by her reaction that she had messed up yet another stupid American idiom and she was trying to figure out what to say to fix it when a voice behind her said, "Bouncing Ziva. Bouncing off the walls." Both Ziva and Alex both mouthed the word "Oh" and nodded their heads in understanding. Ziva for now knowing the right idiom and Alex because now she knew what the Israeli had been talking about.

Tony sat down at his desk and looked up at Ziva with a wide smile plastered across his face and asked, "What's the matter? Couldn't go one day without seeing me at work?" Ziva smirked at him and was about to say something when she remembered the reason why she came over here in the first place. She asked, "You have not talked to Abby and McGee yet have you?" Tony shook his head no and she let out a sigh.

She said, "Good. Before you went to talk to them I thought you should know that they already heard about your promotion." Tony winced a little and asked, "How did they hear it?"

Ziva's brow furrowed and she said, "Abby and McGee were asking where you were this morning when we were in Abby's lab. Gibbs told them you quit." Tony's face fell and he asked, "He did what?" She shook her head and held up her hand for him to be quiet while she finished the story.

She said, "He said that you quit but do not worry, I corrected him." Tony smirked at her and said, "I bet he loved that." Ziva glared down at him and said, "He did not seem to happy no. Anyway I told them that you did not quit but were promoted and that you were staying here in D.C."

Tony had a big smile on his face as he asked, "Ziva David were you defending my honor?" She let out a full laugh and said, "Tony, if I remember correctly you lost your honor when you were fifteen." Tony's smile fell into a smirk as he regarded her. Alex had overheard the conversation and was slightly impressed even though she knew she shouldn't. Before she could stop herself she asked, "Fifteen?"

Ziva had almost forgotten that she was there but smiled down at her and said, "Fifteen. And with a rockette?"

Tony's face held a bit of a blush to it but it vanished as soon as it appeared. He smiled one of his smiles and said, "What can I say, It was Christmas time and she asked me what I wanted."

Ziva just shook her head at him while Alex chuckled. Ziva sobered and walked over to Tony's desk and leaned against it and said, "Seriously Tony, I just wanted you to know what you were going to be walking into."

Tony reached out and gave her hand a little squeeze and said, "Thanks Z. But now that they know and Abby hasn't ran up here trying to throttle me I think it'll be alright." She patted his hand with her free one and then took a step away from the desk. She said, "I had better get back before Gibbs notices I was gone." She nodded at Alex and Tony before she began the walk back to her desk.

When she got a few feet away Tony called her name. She turned around and Tony asked, "Movie at my house tonight if your interested." Ziva smiled and said, "We will see." And with those parting words she left.

* * *

Once Ziva had left Alex turned to Tony and said, "You two are pretty close huh?" Tony looked at her and nodded and said, "She's my partner. Well she was my partner. Now you're my partner. But even though she's not my partner she still is if that makes any sense."

Alex smiled at him and said, "Yeah I got it. Once partners always partners." She had overheard their entire conversation, not that they were keeping it quiet or anything, and she wanted to ask about it. She really didn't know him that well yet and she was wondering why it seemed that he was not telling his friends that he had been promoted. Of course Alex didn't know that he had ran the MCRT for four months. So she just thought that they would be happy with their friend getting a promotion.

She broached the subject carefully and she asked, "So you just got promoted?" Tony looked at her and frowned. He knew she had heard and was wondering when she would ask about it. After reading all of her files he knew she was sharp and from what he had gathered from her in the short time they were together he could tell she was as curious a person as he was.

He figured since she was going to be working with him for awhile he thought he might as well get it all out in the open right off the bat. He smiled at her and said, "Yes and no. I was the team lead for the MCRT for four months. Then the old lead came back and I was demoted back to senior agent. Director offered me a position in Rota, Spain as a team lead but I turned it down. Wanted to stay close to D.C. So the director made this nifty little team we find ourselves in. I haven't told my old team I was leaving except for Gibbs and Ziva. Now they all know."

She nodded her head with everything he was saying. She started to get a better picture of her new partner and boss. She could tell he was fiercely loyal to his friends and that counted for a lot in her book and he was a good enough agent to be the lead for the MCRT. Plus through his interactions with her and other people, especially Officer David, he was a funny guy. Frat boy humor but still funny.

She then asked, "You don't think they'll be happy you got your own team again?" He just chuckled at her and said, "You don't know them like I do."

She nodded at him and let a bright smile play across her features as she said, "If it's any consolation, I am happy you got promoted to this." He smiled back at her and said, "Yeah, me too."


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey everyone. Here's a new chapter for you all. I am sorry it's so short and maybe not be that good. I wrote it last night in about an hour cause I am moving tomorrow and i wanted to post at least one more chapter before i left. I am moving in with some relatives in Minnesota and i have no idea if they have internet. So iffn they don't i will just have to update when i come back here to visit. (Which will hopefully be at least twice a month) But don't worry. I will have nothing to do there except for work and write so when i do post you can expect three or four chapters at a time. Hope that can make up for it. As always i don't have a beta so any and all mistakes are mine. **

**_N/A: _Don't own NCIS or any characters in the show. **

The next week passed quickly for Agent Domingues. They had closed two cases within that time thanks to Agent DiNozzo finding little small details that apparently the other agents had missed. They had been working hard but he had made sure that she was out of the office by six at the latest and for that she was extremely grateful. She knew that having the life of a special agent would be one that was full of odd hours and even stranger cases but her new boss and partner had gone through a great deal of effort so that she had at least some free time to spend with her child.

Plus working with him was like a mini-adventure everyday you got to work. He would be grilling her about the case one moment and then the next he was throwing paper wads at the other agents that shared the aisle with them. Although that had quieted down after the third day when a rather large and intimidating Agent Benson had been hit.

They were now on a new case about a petty officer that had gone missing from Bethesda Naval Hospital. He had been working in the pharmacy for a little over a year and he vanished overnight along with over fifty thousand dollars worth of prescription pain medication. They tracked down all the old witnesses and acquaintances that they could find but no new information seemed to be popping out at them.

They were on their way back to the office from visiting the hospital. Tony was driving and she was sitting in the passenger seat staring at the city as they drove passed. Her mind drifted back to a few days ago.

* * *

Alex was sitting in her chair typing quickly trying to uncover some new information for her new boss and partner. She had only been with him for two days but she still felt like after the glowing review that the director gave Tony, she felt like she wanted to impress him. She knew that he was good after hearing that he was team lead for the MCRT and that was proven yet again when he had glanced at a file for a minute and then passed it to her and asked her to get any information on a Doug Willis. She had read that file for over an hour and hadn't noticed that name. At her confused expression he said, "It's in the Agent's notes. Victim's cousin. Said he was never questioned or suspected. Obviously our first starting point to look into."

She was so engrossed in finding the information that she didn't notice the man standing in front of her desk talking to her. He kept talking to her and it was only then that she was pulled from her computer to look up at the man. In her mind she rolled her eyes as she saw agent McGee looking down at her. He seemed to be waiting for an answer and she said, "I'm sorry what did you say? Was kinda in the zone there."

He smiled at her and said, "Oh no problem. Happens to me all the time. I was just asking how you were liking it here so far?" She put on a fake smile and said, "I'm liking it. Learning a lot from my boss." He replied, "Oh that's great. Glad your liking it here." With the fake smile still on her face she nodded at him. After an uncomfortable silence he said, "So, are you new to D.C?" She still was smiling but she winced. She exhaled and said, "Agent McGee, I'm pretty sure your nice guy and all. And I can appreciate the fact that you are trying to flirt with me but I am getting the idea that you don't do this very often. Am I right?"

McGee scrunched his face up and he let out a deep breath and asked, "It shows huh?" This time an amused smirk crossed her face and she said, "More than somewhat." He shook his head and said, "You know honestly I kinda figured this wouldn't go so well." She snorted and said, "Well you tried anyway. That gets you some points right there." His face brightened considerably and he asked, "Really?" She rolled her eyes and smiled and said, "Not those kind of points." He nodded at her and said, "Right." He rocked back on his heels and came back down flatfooted and he asked, "So, can we start over maybe? Without the flirting and stuff. Just me trying to get to know a little bit more about a co-worker."

She smiled a genuine smile and said, "Sure. As long as you can remember I'm not interested. No offense." She could see that he took a little offense but it didn't seem to last long. She thought that he looked like he was used to this kind of response. He said, "Yeah…just co-workers."

A thought occurred to her at that time. He had helped get her computer up and running the other day, maybe he could help her with her search. She said, "Good. And now that we are just co-workers maybe you could give me a hand? I am trying to dig up some info about a guy and I can't find anything."

No sooner had the words left her mouth than Tony walked into the space that their desks shared. He looked at McGee and asked, "Probie? What are you doing here?" McGee's mind flashed to all the reasons that Tony would be coming round Domingues's desk and he was not pleased with the results. He looked at him and said, "I was just about to help her do a search for some information? What are you doing here?" DiNozzo smirked at the younger man and said, "I was just going to tell Agent Domingues to go home."

Both Alex and McGee looked at Tony stunned and they both said, "Why?" at the same time. Tony first looked to McGee and said, "I'm her boss that's why." He then turned his gaze towards his new partner and said, "And as for you, It's five thirty." Alex looked down at her watch and then back up at him. He looked down at her with a smile and said, "Go home. Eat dinner with your kid and then read em a story. See you in here tomorrow morning." With that he snatched a file off his desk and left towards the elevator.

Alex didn't say anything for a second and then smiled. McGee looked down at her and in an unbelieving voice said, "Tony's your boss?" A pleased smile was plastered on her face and she said, "Yeah, and he's a good one."

* * *

Alex's hands were clinging tightly to the cardboard box that held what evidence they had in their current case. Tony had asked her to log it out of evidence and then take it to Abby. He had a smirk on his face when he said, "Take it to Abby." She didn't know what that smirk meant exactly yet but she was starting to think it wouldn't be good for her. She had asked him the point of having the evidence re-evaluated after it was thoroughly gone through the first time. He had just told her that the case was over ten years old. She nodded at him and said, "So?" He smirked at her again and said, "They didn't have Abby ten years ago."

So she went down to the evidence locker and logged out the sturdy box. She was in the elevator on her way to what she was hoping was the lab. She really needed to get a better look around the place again. Small booms interrupted the quiet hum of the elevator. The booms grew louder as the elevator descended. She was not quite sure what to make of it until the doors opened and she was inundated with the loud bass of Goth metal. She tentatively stepped out of the elevator and looked down both sides of the hallway before cautiously entering the lab. The music in here was almost deafening but she did like the feeling of the bass reverberating throughout her chest cavity.

She looked around the room and spotted someone in a white lab coat with her back to her. The person was bending over a small table and appeared to be looking into a microscope. Not knowing what to do she placed the box down on the large metal table in the center of the room and started to walk towards the person. When she was two feet away she thought better of the idea. She figured in all this noise the person would have no idea she was there and startling someone who was looking into a microscope obviously doing something scientific was probably not the best idea. She looked around the room for the stereo and saw it on one of the back shelves.

She quickly crossed to the stereo and instead of shutting it down completely she just turned it down enough so it was still loud but a person could talk without straining to hear. She turned back around towards the person in the lab coat and what she saw caught her off guard. A tall woman with jet-black hair in ponytails sporting a lot of tattoo's and a seriously small miniskirt was staring at her with a confused expression. Alex quickly took a few steps forward and introduced herself. Abby smiled at the woman and said, "You know in all my years here everyone that walks in here when the music's just right either scare me to death or shut my music off all together. I think you're the first one who just turned it down."

Alex smiled at the woman and took what she had said as a compliment. The woman held her hand out towards Alex and said, "Abby Scuito, forensics expert and all around snappy dresser." Alex shook the woman's hand. Abby asked, "So what do you have for me?" Alex nodded and headed back over to the table. She opened up the box and took out various items that had been wrapped in their own bags. She said, "Cold case. Agent DiNozzo wanted to know if you could go over them for us again."

Abby narrowed her eyes at the woman and said, "Agent DiNozzo?" Alex nodded at her. Abby closed her eyes and started breathing in and out deeply and appeared to be counting to ten. Alex was confused by her reaction and said, "Are you okay?" Abby opened her eyes and looked at the other woman and said, "Yes, I am now." Abby quickly turned back to the evidence lying on the table and examined the tags on some of the items. She said, "These have all been tested already." Alex nodded and said, "I know and I tried to tell him that. But he said 'they didn't have Abby back then' and so here I am."

Abby felt her lips betraying her emotions as they started to curl up in a smile. She asked, "What else did he say?" Alex thought back to the conversation and what it would have in reference to Abby and she remembered, "He said to make sure I brought you a caf-pow. But I am sorry I didn't know what that is or where to find one." Abby snorted and said, "Next time DiNozzo wants some evidence gone over, make sure he tells you where to get it." With that she began to sort through the objects again. Getting back to the job at hand she asked, "When does Tony need these?" Alex shrugged and said, "Didn't say. But the case is over ten years old so I am sure if you are busy it could wait."

Abby nodded at the woman and said, "Nah, I just finished with what I was doing. I'll get started on this."

Gibbs strolled in through the doorway and saw the two women looking at some evidence bags. He ignored the one and turned to the other and asked, "What do you got for me Ab's?" Abby looked up at him and said, "Bullet's matched Gibbs. You got your man." Gibbs smiled and looked at the table and asked, "What's all this?" Alex answered, "Evidence from a cold case me and Agent DiNozzo are working. Abby's going to go over the evidence for us again. See if there is anything that was missed." Gibbs eyes narrowed at Abby and asked, "You got time to be working this stuff?" Abby nodded and said, "Yup. Those bullets of yours was the last thing in the line."

He looked at her for a moment and said, "What about that facial recognition thingee?" Abby chuckled at him and said, "No need now Gibbs. Guy had GSR on his hands and shirt. Prints were on the gun. And the bullets match the barrel of the gun. You got your man." Gibbs eyes narrowed at her and he said, "Always double check. I want that facial thing done." Abby whimpered and said, "But Gibbs, that'll take all day." Gibbs shrugged and said, "Priority case. Takes precedence over some cold case." With that he walked out the door.

Abby and Alex shared a look and Abby said, "Sorry. Looks like this stuff will have to wait." Alex nodded her head and said, "It's okay." Alex turned to look at the door that Gibbs walked out of and said, "Although it was kind of a dick move." Abby turned around shocked at the words that had come out of the newcomer's mouth. "He is right. Gibbs rule, never assume double check."

Alex just nodded at the young Goth. Abby shook her head and turned around to face her computers, readying them to do the task that Gibbs wanted. She said over her shoulder, "I'll call you when the evidence is done." Alex took that as her cue to leave and so she did.

Abby was typing furiously on the keyboard as she said, "Hurry and fix this Gibbs."

* * *

Tony was driving the car while Alex seemed to daydream on their way back to the office. Suddenly both were brought out of their trances as Alex's cell phone began to ring. She answered it and Tony could tell it was a personal call as to the way his partner was attempting to calm her daughter over the phone. After a few minutes Alex closed her cell and sighed.

Tony asked, "Problems at home?" Alex shook her head and said, "Somehow a rock got thrown in through my aunts window. Now Jazz is scared and upset that it will happen again." Tony nodded while she talked absorbing the story. He asked, "She okay?" Alex furrowed her brow and said, "Yeah…I guess."

Tony cocked his head at her and asked, "And that means?" Alex just shook her head and said, "She was screaming for me to come home and make sure it's safe." Tony nodded his head at her. After a few moments Tony turned the car towards the center of the city and Alex asked, "Where are we going?"

Tony looked at her and smirked and said, "Well, I just think that your little girl might be calmer once she has two federal agents sweep for danger, don't you?" Alex just shook her head and turned to look out the window to hide the large smile that was on her face.


	10. Chapter 10

**Okay guys here's another chapter. Don't hate me if it isn't that good. My muse has kinda left this story for the moment but I wanted to post something so I started typing and this is what came out. Also sorry for the shortness of this chapter. This basically has not a whole lot to do with anything but it thought it was kinda a Tonyish thing to do.**

Dont own NCIS or would never want to with the kinda decisions those guys have to make.

The door opened quietly and Alex popped her head in before opening the door up further to fully walk into the small house that her aunt owned. She yelled, "Jazz? Aunt Jackie?" She took a few steps into the small and cozy living room beckoning Tony to follow her in.

Tony took a tentative step into the room and shut the door behind him. He looked around the room and chuckled slightly and said, "Jesus." Alex turned at his words with a questioning glance. She wondered if he was mocking her living situation until she saw Tony pointing at the wall and she smiled. On the wall were seven pictures of Jesus and in the center was a small statue of the Virgin Mary sitting on a small podium.

Alex rolled her eyes and said, "Yeah, I know. My aunt takes her religion very seriously." Tony nodded trying to hold back his smirk. They heard small footsteps running down the stairs and suddenly a small child threw and attached herself to her mother's legs. Alex was thrown slightly off balance and Tony instinctively put a hand out to steady her. Alex turned to Tony and mouthed the words thank you before she righted herself and disentangled the small child from her legs so she could kneel down and take the girl in her arms. Alex rubbed circles on her back and whispered soothing words to her. After a few moments of this Tony was starting to feel a little out of place and he shifted his weight to his other leg. Noticing the movement the girl raised her head from where it was nuzzled in her mothers neck and looked up at the man.

Her eyes were wide with curiosity as she asked, "Who are you?" Tony smiled at the young girl and was about to reply when Alex stepped in and said, "Oh, sweety this is my boss. Special Agent DiNozzo."

Tony kneeled down so he was level with the young girl who was still hugging her mother. He said, "But you can call me Tony." She smiled up at him and noticed she was missing a few of her teeth, he thought it was adorable. "And what's your name?" He asked. She shyly put her head back into the crook of her mother's neck and he heard the muffled reply of, "Jasmine." Tony said, "Well that's a pretty name. Hrmm…I wonder about something though." She slowly peaked her head out at him and he said, "I wonder if it's you that makes the name pretty?" She smiled shyly up at him and Tony noticed that Alex was smiling brightly at him.

After a few moments of silence while the girl was regarding Tony he said, "So…I hear that you're under attack from rocks." The girl immediately turned frightened and with wide eyes nodded her head. Tony narrowed his eyes at the girl and said, "Well, let's check it out then shall we."

Tony made a big production out of checking the house and the outside for danger. All the while he was rolling on the ground from cover to cover both Alex and Jazz were laughing at his crazy antics. Alex roared with laughter when Tony threw himself through one door and found Alex's aunt on the other side in her dressing gown. Tony immediately apologized to the large woman and by way of an explanation said he was looking for an elusive rock thrower. Her aunt was about to call the police on the very strange man who busted into her bedroom until Alex intervened and introduced the two and explained the theatrics were for Jazz's benefit.

As Tony exited the room he took another look at Alex's aunt and shuddered and as he passed by Alex he whispered, "After that image I am not going out on a date for a week." Alex smirked and whispered back up to him, "Afraid you won't find a girl to measure up?" Tony glanced down at her and smirked before running headlong into the hallway and into Jazz's bedroom. As he rolled from the doorway to the door of the closet he landed hard on one of Jazz's hard plastic dolls. He laid there for a moment catching his breath as Alex went to his side and Jazz stood in the doorway watching Tony grimace in pain as he pulled the offending object from underneath him. Alex asked if he was okay and Tony replied, "This thing nearly killed me." After a moment Tony got up and checked the rest of the house without the rolling.

Once Jazz was satisfied that the house was safe Tony and Alex made to leave. When they reached the front door Alex kneeled down and gave her daughter a hug and kiss on each cheek before telling her she loved her and she would be back later. Jazz told her she loved her too and then motioned for Tony to come down on her level. Tony kneeled down to the girl and she quickly wrapped her arms around his neck in a hug that would have made Abby proud. After a moment she pulled back and shyly said, "Thank you Tony. Sorry you got hurt" Tony was shocked that the little girl had hugged him like that after only knowing him for less than two hours but he quickly brushed it off and ruffled the little girls hair and said, "Anytime." Tony thought to himself that strangely enough he meant it.

As they left the house and walked back to the car Alex said, "Thanks, Tony. You didn't have to do all that." Tony brushed it off and said, "It was no trouble, I enjoy acting the fool more than most." When they reached the car Alex began chuckling to herself and Tony asked, "What's so funny?" Alex, while still chuckling said, "You and my Aunt Jackie." Tony knew exactly how to make her laugh a little bit more and said, "Yeah I was thinking about what you said up there. About not finding a girl to measure up. You think she's busy on Saturday?" Alex's chuckle broke out into a full on laugh as they both got into the car.

Alex's laughter had died down by the time Tony started the engine. As they pulled away from the curb in a serious voice he asked, "Does Jasmine hug everyone she meets like that right away?" Alex smiled at Tony's perplexed look but shook her head and said, "No. I guess she just likes you." Tony smiled brightly and he said, "Good. I like her too."

Ziva sat at her desk going through the DMV databases when Gibbs strolled though the bullpen and yelled; "You got plans cancel em. No one is leaving until I have something on this case." Then as quick as he came he was gone. Ziva's face fell. After their dinner and movie last week Tony had asked her to go with him to a movie that just came out in the theaters. She still didn't know exactly where they stood but she did enjoy spending her off time with him. And now she had to break their date. Wait…did she just think date? No. It's not a date. Just two friends enjoying a film together. She sighed and picked up her phone and pressed one on her speed dial.

The phone rang five times before it was picked up and a young small female voice said, "Hello?" Ziva pulled the phone away from her ear and looked to make sure that it was Tony that she called. After she confirmed that it was indeed his number she put the phone back to her ear and asked, "Hello. Who is this?" The young voice on the other end said, "Uh uh, Mommy said never tell anyone your name until you know who it is." Ziva rolled her eyes at the good advice and said, "I am Ziva. I am looking for Tony DiNozzo." The young voice got excited and said, "You know Tony?" Ziva smiled and shook her head. It seemed that even young girls are affected by the DiNozzo charm. She said, "Yes I know Tony. Is he there?"

The young girl on the other end shook her head but then remembered that the person on the other end couldn't see her and said, "Uh uh." Ziva frowned and asked, "If he is not there how do you have his phone?" The young voice on the other end of the line said, "He dropped it looking for bad guys." Ziva froze and asked, "Is Tony okay?" The voice on the other end of the line said, "He got hurt." Ziva stood and grabbed her gun and badge from her desk drawer and was halfway to the elevator when it opened and out stepped Tony and Alex.

Relief instantly flowed into Ziva at the sight of his face and she ran towards him gave him a quick hug before taking a step back and punching him in the arm. Tony was surprised at the hug and now rubbing a very sore bicep and he asked, "What the hell Ziva?"

Ziva answered him and said, "I called your phone to tell you I will be working late tonight when a little girl answered and said you were looking for bad guys and were hurt." Tony reached down to check his pants pocket for his phone but realized it was gone and closed his eyes and leaned his head back. Tony turned to Alex and said, "I must have dropped it when I was at your place." Alex looked worried but nodded and asked Ziva, "Is she still on the phone?" Ziva nodded and handed the phone to Alex. When she took the phone she asked, "Jasmine?" The voice on the other end of the line said, "Mommy?" Alex sighed and said, "Jasmine I told you never to pick up someone else's phone." She took the phone around the corner while she talked to her daughter.

Ziva stood staring at Tony and he couldn't take it and said, "I'm sorry I lost my phone." Ziva shook her head at him and said, "I was worried Tony. When she said you were hurt I was halfway to the elevators." Tony looked at the ground then up at her through his lashes and said, "So you do care huh?" Ziva narrowed her eyes at him and said, "This is not the time to make jokes Tony." Tony nodded and said, "Sorry Z. I didn't mean to make you worry." She narrowed her eyes at him but relaxed after a moment. She sighed and nodded at him.

Glad that the situation had resolved itself without bloodshed Tony asked, "So your gonna be here late tonight huh?" Ziva nodded and said, "Until we have something new on the case." Tony thought for a moment and said, "Well if you get out of here before midnight call and let me know. That movie has a screening at 12:30." Ziva slowly shook her head at him until he gave her the puppy dog eyes and finally she agreed. She said, "If I get out before midnight I will call you but if this movie is not worth it, well let us just say that you might not enjoy the ending of the evening." Tony winked at her and said, "Any time with you is enjoyable." Ziva rolled her eyes at him before taking the cell phone that Alex was handing her and turned and walked back to her desk.

Alex and Tony began walking back to their desks when Alex said, "Jasmine say's she's sorry she got you in trouble with your friend." Tony smiled and shook his head and said, "She don't have to worry about Ziva. She's okay." Alex nodded and took a seat at her desk as Tony sat in his. Alex bit her lower lip and said, "She also wanted me to ask you to come over for dinner this weekend." Tony looked up at her and thought it over for a moment. Tony said, "I…umm…don't know. I might not be able to do it this weekend." Tony knew he could. He really didn't have any plans this weekend except for tonight with Ziva but he didn't want to take advantage of the situation or his new agent. They were on their way to becoming friends and Tony didn't want to ruin that. Sure if he had met her at a bar or at a café or something he definitely would have taken her up on her offer. But he was her boss kind of. They were more partners than anything. He had told Kate once they were a team, only he was the team lead, which's kind of how he felt now. But she hasn't flirted with him seriously and he hasn't with her, not really. Maybe she did just want a dinner between co-workers. Just a chance to get to know each other a little more. Plus he could get to know Jazz more. He said, "I'll call you tomorrow and let you know, okay?" She smiled at him and nodded her head. She knew it was a little forward and sudden but she figured the least she could do was give him Jasmine's request. If he came he did if not he didn't.


	11. Chapter 11

Okay ladies and gentlemen, I know that some of you are going to be excited to get this hoping that it is an extremely good update considering the length of time you all have spent waiting for a new chapter.

Bad news I am afraid. I have passed the torch for this story (figuratively speaking of course, there were no torches or fires of any kind involved) onto someone else.

Personally I have just kinda lost touch not only with my writing but with this particular fandom in general.

I will say that the reviews, follows and favorites that this story has received were wonderful and filled me with pride that something that flowed out of my mind was liked so well. They were also another reason why I wanted someone to continue the story. You who enjoyed this work of mine deserve to have it finished.

The rest of this story will be continued by scousemuz1k, it will be under the title Sideways and Forwards. Please check it out.


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